Members of the Swank Social Club celebrated their 75th

Photos courtesy of Ken Bridges
Around town
Members of the Swank Social Club
celebrated their 75th anniversary this year.
Members of the Swankettes.
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Living with Pride | November 2009
Broader appeal
Service and social clubs’
rosters and agendas expand
by Angela Lindsay Hilst
Photos courtesy of Ken Bridges
I
n his best-selling book, “Our Kind
of People,” Lawrence Otis Graham
chronicled the lives of many of those
who are members of the country’s oldest
and most elite black social and service
clubs. Today, many of these organizations
have transformed in various ways.
Many black social and service clubs exist
because, in the past, African-Americans were
prohibited from joining similar white clubs.
“Historically, they were formed in the
African-American community because the
opportunity didn’t exist in majority communities,” says Sam Caldwell, vice president of the
men’s only Swanks Club.
Ironically, however, the black community criticized many of these black
organizations because of their selective
membership practices.
Members of The Swanks and The Swankettes, circa 1945.
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Photo by Markus K. Perry
Photo by Markus K. Perry
The Links is one of the
country’s oldest and largest
black volunteer service
organizations for women.
Photos courtesy of Ken Bridges
Eddyce Hobson is president of The Links.
Swank members John Patterson, Werrion Stroud, Bill Young and
Daisy Stroud in 1984 during a 50th-anniversary celebration.
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Living with Pride | November 2009
Brian Willis, president-elect of The 100
Black Men of Greater Charlotte (“The 100”),
says he has heard the “elitist” criticism but
says his organization’s invitation-only policy
has more to do with a current member being
able to vouch for a prospective member.
While conceding that The 100 might have
had a “certain face” in the past, Willis says
its members now range from blue-collar
workers to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies
and that it’s those outside the club who fuel
the belief that it is elitist.
“People commit to things they care about,
so I think The 100 just needs to tell its own
story and not let people tell the stories of The
100,” Willis says. “If you don’t tell your story,
somebody else will ...”
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year,
the Swanks restricts membership to no
more than 30 at a time in order “to afford
easy familiarity and sociability.” Similar to
The 100, membership in the Swanks results
from word of mouth and nominations of
prospective members by current members.
Sam Caldwell also has heard talk of the
Swanks being too selective; however, he
says the Swanks membership — which
once included doctors, lawyers and teachers
— has evolved to include nonprofessional
members as well. Membership aside, the
club has transformed in an even more
significant way.
Originally formed as a social club by a
group of students from Second Ward High
School, Caldwell says the Swanks is now
more service-oriented since its members
have matured. The club has furnished a room
Below: Members of The 100 include Wilbert Harper,
front row, left; Densel Fleming; Jerome Spratley;
Don Lewis; Robert Long; and Jacqueline Peters.
Dr. Richard Dunning Jr., back row, from left; Sam
Belnavis, Sid Levy Jr.; Donnie Koonce; Ronn
Broadway; Reggie Gaither; and Brian Willis.
Photo by Markus K. Perry
Left: Members of The Links recently met at Daisy
Walker’s home. Clockwise from left are Sonja
Johnson (assistant financial secretary), Brenda
Bowden (second vice president), Eddyce Hobson
(president), Daisy Walker (Immediate past president),
Thelma Byers-Bailey (treasurer), Angelia Fryer (assistant recording secretary) and Joyce Cooke Woodard
(parliamentarian).
The 100’s Brian Willis, president-elect,
and Donnie Koonce, president.
In keeping with the traditional civic
principles of its parent organization, Hobson
points out that The Links is not about
networking and making social connections.
She even addresses the belief that having a
college degree is a requirement for membership, explaining instead.
“We want to have the best organization
that we can have … and, again, because
we’re not a social organization, we are
about service, then the membership that
we’re looking for are people that we believe
are going to promote our motto, which is
‘Service Through Friendship.’...”
Photo by Markus K. Perry
Technologic and cultural shifts
at the old McCrorey YMCA; donated to the
United Negro College Fund, Loaves & Fishes,
and Second Harvest Food Bank; and
even requests that participants at its two
large annual social events donate to its
charitable causes.
‘At the forefront
in raising awareness’
Charitable work has always been the
cornerstone of one of the country’s oldest
and largest black volunteer service organizations for women, The Links Inc. Among its
activities are an initiative aimed at childhood
obesity, which has become a major problem
in today’s society.
“I think that through the years, we have
kept abreast of the current issues that pertain
to African-Americans,” says Eddyce Hobson,
president of the Charlotte Chapter of The
Links Inc. “We’ve always tried to be at the
forefront in raising awareness and tried to be
about correcting some of these illnesses.”
Join the club
Other black social and service
clubs include:
n Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
South Atlantic Region,
http://akasouthatlanticregion.org/
n Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Beta Nu Lambda Chapter,
www.betanulambda.org/
n Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Charlotte
Alumnae Chapter, www.charlottedst.org
n Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Alumni
Chapter, www.cltkappas.com
n Las Amigas Inc., (704) 375-5232
n Prince Hall Masons,
www.phamason.com, (704) 545-9682
Like most everything else, technology has
also affected how black social and service
clubs function.
“I think communication-wise we’ve
evolved …” notes The 100’s Brian Willis,
who says social media such as Facebook and
Twitter has changed the way members of The
100 communicate with their mentees.
“We have evolved into an organization
that is technically savvy, if you will,” The
Links’ Hobson adds. “We are beginning to
do everything through technology, and I think
that we’re just going to continue to grow
when it comes to trying to promote AfricanAmerican health, support African-American
issues, and just make sure that our programs
stay abreast of the current environment.”
As our environment becomes more multicultural, members of black social and service
clubs cannot discount the fact that they might
eventually include people of other races.
“I don’t necessarily know if the 100 Black Men
will always be 100 percent black …” says Brian
Willis. “I think we’ll be serving the haves and
have nots more so in the future. I think that the
color line is kind of dissipating more so, but the
economic line is getting stronger.”
Though Caldwell refers to The Swanks
as a “sanctuary” for African-American
colleagues and conversation, he also foretells
possible racial progression for the club.
“You know the world is changing. So,
what we see probably in the future, certainly
not in the near future, but just like the
African-American churches have white
members, I think that’s probably what’s
going to happen.” P
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