Delta Sigma Theta Sorority national president and Hartford native Cheryl A. Hickmon dies following recent illness
Hartford native Cheryl A. Hickmon, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. national president and chair of its national board of directors, died on Thursday after battling a recent illness, according to a statement from the sorority.
“President Hickmon was a devoted member of Delta Sigma Theta since 1982 and served in various capacities at the chapter, region, and national level before being elected National President. She is remembered not only for her role as a leader but for being a colleague, friend, and most of all, sister,” the sorority said in a statement.
“The entire sisterhood of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated mourns the loss of President Hickmon. During this difficult time, we ask that you respect her family’s privacy and keep them in your prayers.”
Hickmon was elected to lead the Deltas, one of nine Black sororities and fraternities known as the “Divine Nine,” during their last national convention in November 2021 in Atlanta. The 1984 graduate of South Carolina State University was a member of the Hartford Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and was initiated through the Alpha Xi Chapter at South Carolina State University.
For 39 years, Hickmon was an active member of Delta Sigma Theta and held numerous elected and appointed leadership positions at the national, regional and local levels.
“Throughout her membership with the organization, she served in many capacities. From vice president to Atlantic regional representative, her dedication and commitment to seeing the legacy organization thrive were unmatched,” the NAACP said in a statement.
“Among her accolades, she received the 100 Most Influential African American in the State of Connecticut by the Connecticut Chapters of the NAACP and the Citizen of the Year Award from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Tau Iota Chapter).”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont remembered Hickmon as a “valued member of our big Connecticut family” in a statement on Twitter.
“As the National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and President of the Hartford Alumnae Chapter, her work to enlighten, educate, and elevate young Black women made a great impact on many lives,” he said.
Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz also offered her condolences to the family, friends and sorors of Hickmon.
“I had the pleasure of meeting President Hickmon when she spoke at Hartford Alumnae’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast. Her passionate remarks were both inspiring and uplifting and her service to the Connecticut community will not be forgotten,” she said in a statement on Twitter.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin also shared his thoughts on Hickmon’s passing.
“What a heartbreaking loss. Our prayers are with Cheryl Hickmon’s family and with all of the Deltas she led and loved here in Hartford and around the country and the world.”
Professionally, Hickmon supervised the In Vitro Fertilization Laboratories for Andrology and Endocrinology at Montefiore’s Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Health in Hartsdale, New York, a division of the Montefiore Medical Center and a teaching hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She was a licensed clinical laboratory technologist and worked in the reproductive medical laboratory for more than 30 years.
Hickmon is the daughter of the late Dr. Ned Hickmon and the late Consuella Anderson Hickmon of Hartford. She has two older brothers, Ned and David Hickmon, both of Hartford.
According to her bio on the Delta Sigma Theta website, Hickmon lived her life by the motto, “Don’t measure life by the number of breaths you take but by the number of moments that take your breath away.”
