In addition to Black sororities, many African-American sorors, including my mother, belong to
one or both social/civic organizations, called The Girl
Friends, Inc. and The Links Inc., with The Girl Friends being founded almost 20
years before The Links, as well as one of the oldest clubs of its kind, in the United
States.
THE GIRL FRIENDS, INC.
In the summer
of August 1927, at the height of The Harlem Renaissance, Eunice Shreeves had
the vision to invite four, close friends to her home to form a social club, for
the purpose of maintaining and continuing the friendships they had established
that year. Henri Younge, Lillie Mae Riddick, Elnorist Younge, Thelma Whittaker and
Eunice knew that they would be away at college for a good part of the year, but
felt that their club in their home city would reinforce their friendship. The historic
meeting was held over the now-famous "Pot of Stew;" and the young
women quickly determined the direction of their group. Lillie Mae suggested the
name "Girl Friends" in honor of the Richard Rogers/George Olsen
Broadway Musical hit of the era, The Girl Friend (click here to listen to the
title song from the musical). They also selected club colors of apple and emerald green; a club flower, the
Marshall Neal Rose (now the yellow Tea Rose) and the names of other friends
they would invite to join them.
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| Modern Pot of Stew event |
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| Yellow Tea Rose |
Those who were
originally invited and remained in the group to see it grow into a national
organization included: Ruth Byrd, Constance (Connye) Cottrell, Helen Hayes, Rae
Dudley, Anna Murphy and Dorothy Spraggins Roarke and Dottie Townes, who founded
the Philadelphia chapter. The group chose Bessie Bearden as their chaperone and
advisor. Mrs. Bearden was a prominent newspaper columnist; and it was her son,
the celebrated artist, Romare, who designed the 1952 Chatterbox cover, which
was dedicated to the New York Chapter's 25th Anniversary.
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| Bearden Family |
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| Romare Bearden |
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The Baltimore, Boston, New Jersey and New Haven, Connecticut chapters, were
soon thereafter added by 1932. The New
York chapter hosted the first Conclave (national meeting of chapters) in 1933,
held in the home of Connye Cotterell.
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| New Haven Chapter, today |
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| Brooklyn, NY Chapter, 1934 |
In 1938, Girl Friend, Vivien ‘Buster’ Marshall, wife of attorney (and
eventual Supreme Court Justice) Thurgood Marshall, helped to incorporate The
Girl Friends, under her husband’s legal guidance.
The Girl Friends Fund,
Inc. is a nonprofit
organization that The Girl Friends established in February 1988 to help young
African-American men and women realize their dream of an equal opportunity to a
college education. The Girl Friends Fund sponsors a fundraising luncheon
as part of the Annual Conclave, and has funded scholarships for thousands of
young, African-American students.
There are, currently, 45 chapters across the country, and over 1,400 women of prominence in membership. In 2004, the Chicago Chapter hosted the 50th anniversary celebration. Click here for the video tribute during the 50th anniversary celebration.
Since those
formative years, the arms of friendship have grown to embrace a continent. Girl
Friends have founded schools, headed colleges, earned all manners of academic
and professional degrees, written books, been successful entrepreneurs, saved
lives, been elected to Congress and named to the cabinet of the US President.
They have also been devoted wives, mothers, sisters, aunts, Godmothers and
friends, as well as involved members of their communities.
==========
THE LINKS, INC.
In 1945, African-American socialites, Margaret Rosell
Hawkins and Sarah
Strickland-Scott, conceived the idea of a group of clubs
composed of friends along the Eastern Seaboard. The two women envisioned an
organization that would combine friendship and community service. It was their
intent the club would have a threefold aim: civic, educational, and cultural. Based on these aims, the club would implement
programs, which its founders hoped would foster cultural appreciation through
the arts; develop richer inter-group relations; and help women who participated
to understand and accept their social and civic responsibilities.
Margaret Hawkins had incredible, artistic talent. However, she is
probably best remembered for leading her African-American high school classmates
in a determined effort to attend the annual and, at that time, all-White senior
prom. Rather than yield to the pressure for an integrated prom, school officers
cancelled the prom. Margaret won a four-year
scholarship to the Women’s School of Design, later known as the Moore Institute
of Art. After graduating in 1931, she was appointed to teach art in the Camden,
New Jersey schools. There, she soon became one of the city’s demonstration
teachers in art techniques. Margaret not only served as the first
president of the founding Links chapter, and the second, national president,
but she also designed the Links's bracelet logo.
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| Women's School of Design |
Sarah Strickland-Scott was the
first, national president of The Links. She was the daughter of a prominent
doctor and majored in English at the University of Pennsylvania, earned a
Master’s degree from Columbia University and began her career as a teacher
in the Philadelphia high schools. Sarah was active in African-American
family organization, Jack andJill of America, and served a term as national president of that
organization, as well. She married a doctor; and their daughter was the first Black
student to attend the exclusive, Friends Select School in Philadelphia.
One evening, in November 1946, Margaret and Sarah invited some of
their friends to join them in organizing a new type of club, which was originally
called The Philadelphia Club.
Besides the two founders, the original members of The Philadelphia Club
were Frances Atkinson, Katie Green, Marion Minton, Lillian Stanford,
Myrtle Manigault Stratton, Lillian Wall and Dorothy Wright. The club elected
Margaret as president, Sarah as vice president, Myrtle as recording secretary,
Frances as corresponding secretary, and Dorothy as treasurer.
During its
early years, monthly meetings were held in members' homes, with that member
serving as hostess. The rules were
rather strict, with membership being limited to fourteen members; and if a
member missed a meeting, her membership would be revoked.
Most of the Links members were also members of African-American family
organization, Jack and Jill of America, and other Black organizations, such as: the National Medical Association, the National Dental Association, the Urban
League and the NAACP.
Before the incorporation of The Philadelphia
Club, to become The Links, Incorporated, several, new chapters were established
between 1947 and 1949: Atlantic City, New Jersey; Washington DC; Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania; St. Louis, Missouri; Petersburg, Virginia; Wilmington, Delaware;
Baltimore, Maryland; Rocky Mount, North Carolina; Princeton, New Jersey;
Dayton, Ohio; Harlem, New York City; North, New Jersey and Raleigh, North
Carolina.
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| San Francisco Links, 1950 |
By 1953, The
Links had become recognized as the “fastest growing, most interesting group of
Black women in the country.” (Pittsburgh Courier, June 1953).
The Links, Incorporated, requires that each of its members
accumulate a substantial number of volunteer hours, and is also known for its
numerous annual social activities including debutante cotillions, fashion show
luncheons, auctions and balls. Click here to see a 2-minute video of a fundraiser
in Washington DC. Membership is extended to candidates
nominated and approved by currently active, Links members. Most
members are philanthropists, college presidents, judges, doctors, bankers,
lawyers, executives, educators or the wives of well-known public figures.
Links members contribute more than 500,000
documented hours of community service, each year – strengthening their
communities and enhancing the nation. The organization is the recipient of
awards from the UN Association of
New York and the Leon H.
Sullivan Foundation for its premier programs.
The Links, Incorporated focuses primarily on five
strategic areas of interest ("facets"):
National Trends and Services: Currently, The Links sponsor Linkages
to Life: Organ Tissue and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Program. In addition, in October 2006, The
Links, donated $1 million to the National Civil Rights Museum, in Memphis, Tennessee, which
was used to create The Links Incorporated Educational and Cultural Center,
promoting social and civil progress in America
Services for Youth: Programs such as "Just Say 'No'!" in order to
educate youth about the perils of drug and substance abuse
International Trends and Services: such as building schools in South Africa and Nigeria
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| The Links African Schoolchildren |
The Arts: Active involvement in promoting African and African-American
art, in order to educate youth and adults about the artwork's significance
Health and Human Services:
Addressing chronic health disparities that persist in the Black
community and result in the decreased life expectancy of African-Americans.
Currently, The Links, Incorporated, has over 12,000
members, and 276 chapters nationally and one chapter in the Bahamas. The Links celebrated their sixtieth anniversary on November 9, 2006. In
honor of the achievement, commemorative medals were issued to celebrate
the organization's achievements.
What is so admirable about The Girl Friends and The
Links is that not only do they foster lifelong friendships and throw great
parties; but they have also worked very strategically and successfully to
strengthen the African-American community, which will have an impact on
generations to come.
Sources: Wikipedia, The Links, Inc., The Girl Friends,
Inc., The History Makers, Google Images, YouTube
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