Black Social Clubs

Name/Title

Black Social Clubs

Entry/Object ID

9999.BHF.256

Scope and Content

Clubs A picture of a portion of large delegation attending Grand Lodge Session in St. Joseph, Missouri in July 1961 appears in the Masonic Light Volume 7 1961-1962. These are the people pictured in the first row W. Jordan, Theodore Simmons, Frank Rudd, Jack Audrey, W. A. Cooper, Curtis O. Finch, W. Kirkpatrick, John B. Hughes, William H. Scott, Roosevelt Page, Leslie Bowen, J. Lewis and Thomas Woodruff Sykes. St. Joseph News-Press May 21, 1999 is a photocopy picture of men who formed a group they called "The Hawks" and a group of women who organized the club "The Empress". The men were David Green, Billy Webster, Clarence Gray, Otis Hanes, Joseph Hampton, Jack Taylor, Bruce James, John Eugene Davis, Thomas McGaughy, Roy Castell, James Morrison, Robert McGaughy Sr., Robert Armstrong, Luther Turner, Robert McGaughy Jr., Eddie Miller, Johnny Wilson, Otis Marshall Sr., Buford Thompson, Marion Thompkins, Winifred Mabin and Charles, Warfield, John Hughes, Adam Delph, Oliver Henderson Jr., Frank Early, Dewey Douglas, Lawrence Wilson, Everett Madison, Louis Gray, Arthur Mc Gaughy, Milton Bundy and Fred Bundy. The names of the The Empress pictured are: Betty Merideth Robinson, Marie C. Matthews, Billy J. Gray, Viola Turner, Gladys Mays, Camilla Merrill, Mary Thompkins, Clara Thompkins, Arvela Couch, Hazeline Nave, Doretta Casteel and Geraldine Brown. St. Joseph News-Press September 25, 1992 photocopy has a picture of the Smart Set Club and the Tes Trams Club. pictured are Mary Wilkerson, Corrine Smith, Mary Ellen Matthews, Anna Gamble, Margaret Wilson, Virginia Williams, Marion Snargrass, Mabel Brown, Ruth Goodson, Inez Beverly, Lela Davis, Maxine Freeman, Elfred Davis, Charles Snargrass, Ellis Freeman, Everett White, James Williams, James Green, William Bell, Orbra Matthews, Frank Wilkerson, Elijah Smith, Wilbur Gamble, Cordell Yancey, John Brown, Charles Taylor and Hamilton McGee. The women belonged to the Smart Set Club. Sometimes the men went to the meetings with the women. The men then decided to have a club of their own. They turned the name of the Smart Set club backwards and thus they named it Tes Trams. The Community Garden Club sponsored a style revue. The styles were from 1890 to 1947. It was at Bartlett School auditorium on June 13, 1947. The program is in the Club folder, Program for Matrons Civic and Social Club 1933-1934, Club Motto Lifting as we Climb; colors orange and black. The meetings were first and third Tuesdays of each month at 8:30 P.M. St. Joseph News-Press May 26, 1996 has an article expressing the fact that 50 years finds social club changing focus. The Tes Trams club, a black men's social club came after its black women's club called the Smart Set. The men changed the name around and called it Tes Trams. The smart set disbanded around 1978, but Tes Trams is still going strong. The club will celebrate its 50th anniversary. There is a newspaper picture of the club. The photo shows the men from the 1950s and it is believed to be the Frog Hop ballroom. There is a newspaper picture of President Eddie Ray, vice president John Brown and social chairman Charles Self. They are being greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Cazel. Another newspaper picture is of president Art McGaughy and vice president Eddie Ray prepared to cut the roast at a club luau, This photo is from 1989. There is also a picture of the banner which hung over the bar in the clubhouse. Another newspaper clipping has a newspaper picture of Bob Crouch treasurer, Bill Washington, finance secretary, Clarence Bill, corresponding secretary, and Art McGaughy, president. When there was a segregated climate social clubs vegan to flourish in the city. The old Douglas School building at Russell and Barbara streets became the official home of the Tes Trams club in 1957.As the older members were dying and it was difficult to impress upon the young people to join so they invited white people to join. It was now open to all and they may even turn it into a men and women's club. St. Joseph News-Press June 1, 1986 has a newspaper picture of Carolyn and Mervin Kelton, Mr. and Mrs. Nassor Nerlett at the annual Tes Trams gala. They were celebrating the club's 35th birthday. Another picture is of Tes Tram officers; John Brown , Arthur Gaugay, Clarence Bell, Eddie Ray, William Washington, Everett Madison and Jim Sanders. St. Joseph News-Press October 20, 2002 has colored newspaper photos of Chief Rabban Roy R. , Edward L. Hudson, Past Potentate Richard Richardson, Past Potentate, Amos Arrington of Allah Temple No. 6, Kansas City , MO and Maria Arrington pose of the Allah Temple No. 6 Potentate and Commandress Ball at the Ramada Inn on October 5. The picture at the right has pomp and circumstance, the order of the evening as illustrious Commandress Ethel Smith-Johnson and her court march out of the ballroom at the Ramada Inn at the beginning of the Allah Temple No. 6 Potentate and Commandress Ball. At the right is a newspaper photo of John T. McPatter, Deputy of the Oasis, Omaha, NE Daniel Butts, Ed Hayes and Anita. E. Epp. Top Right: Barbara McKinney, assistant recordres, left; Mae Richardson, assistant marshal; Mildred Walker, first ceremonial daughter; Willie Jamerson, oriental guide; Carol Barksdale, illutrious second lieutenant; Sandra Jamerson, illustrious first lieutenant; Ethel Smith-Johnson, illustrious commandress; Gladys Johnson, illustrious treasurer; Bernita Canada-Shaw, marshal; Gale Carr, inside spy; Wilma Patterson, illustrious high priestess; and Hazel Parks, outside spy. Center Right Photos: Past Potentate Morris Tolefree and past Commandress Barbara Tolefree of Knora Temple/Court in Kansas City, Noble Frederick and Elma Wisdom of Zaha Court in Omaha, NE Bottom Center Photos: Clarice Pace, Opal Merriweather, Martha Williams and Alma Pruitt are daughters of Zaha Court in Omaha. Photocopy of picture of Men's lodge-Allah taken in 1980s. Louise Cooper has original. Copy on CD. Photocopy of picture of women's Lodge 1951State Convention in St. Joseph. Photo in front St. Francis Church. Louise Cooper has original. Copy on CD. St. Joseph News-Press April, 1, 1988 photocopy Blue Triangle members pioneers of sort written by Wendy porter. The YWCA is celebrating its centennial and looking back over its long history in the community. Former Blue Triangle members Sabron Guiden, Maxine Freeman, Mary Wilkerson and Virginia Glass are pictured. These women paved the way for other black women in St. Joseph for more opportunities. Sabron Guiden was the first black to work in the Townsend and Wall department store and Virginia Glass was the first black to work at the YWCA.

Collection

Black Archives

Lexicon

Search Terms

Black Clubs, Black History, Black Social Clubs, Hawks Club, Empress Women's Social Club, Smart Set Social Club

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

File, Folder

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Oct 1, 2013

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Robert L. Armstrong

Person or Organization

Jack Audrey

Person or Organization

William Bell

Person or Organization

Inez Beverly

Person or Organization

Leslie Bowen

Person or Organization

Geraldine Brown

Person or Organization

John Brown

Person or Organization

Mabel Brown

Person or Organization

Fred Bundy

Person or Organization

Milton Bundy

Person or Organization

Doretta Casteel

Person or Organization

Roy Castell

Person or Organization

W. A. Cooper

Person or Organization

Arvela Crouch

Person or Organization

Elfred Davis

Person or Organization

Davis, John Eugene

Person or Organization

Lela Davis

Person or Organization

Adam Delph

Person or Organization

Dewey Douglas

Person or Organization

Frank Early

Person or Organization

Curtis O. Finch

Person or Organization

Ellis Freeman

Person or Organization

Maxine Freeman

Person or Organization

Anna Gamble

Person or Organization

Wilbur Gamble

Person or Organization

Ruth Goodson

Person or Organization

Billy J. Gray

Person or Organization

Clarence Gray

Person or Organization

Louis Gray

Person or Organization

David Green

Person or Organization

James D. Green

Person or Organization

Joseph Hampton

Person or Organization

Otis Hanes

Person or Organization

Oliver Henderson, Jr.

Person or Organization

John Hughes

Person or Organization

John B. Hughes

Person or Organization

Bruce James

Person or Organization

W. Jordan

Person or Organization

W. Kirkpatrick

Person or Organization

J. Lewis

Person or Organization

Winifred Mabin

Person or Organization

Madison, Everett

Person or Organization

Marshall, Otis Sr.

Person or Organization

Marie C. Matthews

Person or Organization

Mary Ellen Matthews

Person or Organization

Orbra Matthews

Person or Organization

Gladys Mays

Person or Organization

McGaughy Arthur

Person or Organization

Robert McGaughy, Jr.

Person or Organization

Robert McGaughy, Sr.

Person or Organization

Thomas McGaughy

Person or Organization

Hamilton McGee

Person or Organization

Camilla Merrill

Person or Organization

Eddie Miller

Person or Organization

James Morrison

Person or Organization

Hazeline Nave

Person or Organization

Roosevelt Page

Person or Organization

Merideth Robinson

Person or Organization

Frank Rudd

Person or Organization

William H. Scott

Person or Organization

Theodore Simmons

Person or Organization

Smith , Elijah

Person or Organization

Corrine Smith

Person or Organization

Charles Snargrass

Person or Organization

Marion Snargrass

Person or Organization

Thomas Woodruff Sykes

Person or Organization

Charles Taylor

Person or Organization

Jack Taylor

Person or Organization

Clara Thompkins

Person or Organization

Marion Thompkins

Person or Organization

Mary Thompkins

Person or Organization

Buford Thompson

Person or Organization

Luther Turner

Person or Organization

Viola Turner

Person or Organization

Warfield, Charles

Person or Organization

Webster, BIlly

Person or Organization

White, Everett

Person or Organization

Frank Wilkerson

Person or Organization

Wilkerson, Mary

Person or Organization

James Williams

Person or Organization

Virginia Williams

Person or Organization

Wilson, Johnny

Person or Organization

Lawrence Wilson

Person or Organization

Wilson, Margaret

Person or Organization

Yancey, Cordell

Person or Organization

Mervin Kelton

Person or Organization

Carolyn Kelton

Person or Organization

John Brown

Person or Organization

Arthur Gaugay

Person or Organization

Nassor Nerlett

Person or Organization

Clarence Bell

Person or Organization

Eddie Ray

Person or Organization

Washington, William

Person or Organization

Madison, Everett

Person or Organization

Jim Sanders

Person or Organization

Charles Self

Person or Organization

Eddie Cazel

Person or Organization

Bob Crouch

Person or Organization

Washington, Bill

Person or Organization

Bill Clearance

Person or Organization

Roy R. Rue

Person or Organization

Edward L. Hudson

Person or Organization

Richard Richardson

Person or Organization

Amos Arrington

Person or Organization

Marla Arrington

Person or Organization

Ethel Smith-Johnson

Person or Organization

John T. McPatter

Person or Organization

Daniel Butts

Person or Organization

Ed Hayes

Person or Organization

Anita E. Epps

Person or Organization

Barbara McKinney

Person or Organization

Mae Richardson

Person or Organization

Walker, Mildred

Person or Organization

Willie Jamerson

Person or Organization

Carol Barksdale

Person or Organization

Sandra Jamerson

Person or Organization

Gladys Johnson

Person or Organization

Bernita Canada-Shaw

Person or Organization

Gale Carr

Person or Organization

Wilma Patterson

Person or Organization

Hazel Parks

Person or Organization

Morris Tolefree

Person or Organization

Barbara Tolefree

Person or Organization

Noble Frederick

Person or Organization

Wisdom, Elma

Person or Organization

Clarice Pace

Person or Organization

Martha Williams

Person or Organization

Alma Pruitt

Person or Organization

Louise Cooper

Person or Organization

Guiden, Sabron

Person or Organization

Maxine Freeman

Person or Organization

Wilkerson, Mary

Person or Organization

Glass, Virginia