History of the Fine Arts Club

Publishers Note: When I first came to the community I was asked to cover the yearly pageant that the Fine Arts Club did. The Club is located in the heart of Atlanta and is dedicated to serving the needs of African American youth. I was welcomed warmly and professionally and was very impressed with the work they are doing with the young men and women. You could tell the people in the organization truly loved the youth and have a strong desire to grow them up to be respectable members of our community.

Six professional women feeling the need of an outlet from the monotony of home, school and church life, the necessity of helping youth outside the classroom and the urgency of becoming involved, as a group, with civic activities, met in the home of the late Pauline Fisher on February 29, 1963.

After a lengthy deliberation on how relief could be obtained from tension and pressure from school officials, classroom activities and ways to elevate the standards of our race, a decision was made to organize a club. Thus, The Fine Arts Club came into existence.

Charter members at the time were: Pauline Fisher, Leola B. Booth, Ruby Bassett, Geraldine Wiley, Millie B Davis, and Carine Harper. All are deceased. Initial officers were Carine Harper, President; Geraldine Wiley, Secretary, and Leola Booth, Treasurer.

Part of the club’s purpose is to promote cultural and educational opportunities for the community. Each year scholarships are awarded to several graduating seniors from area high schools. Recognition of accomplishments has also been given to middle school students who have had academic excellence.

The motto, “Lifting as We Climb” was chosen as the club’s inspiration to help others. The colors blue and white were selected as the club’s colors and the following creed was adopted: We, the members of the Fine Arts Club, believe that we should continue to improve our skills in the fine arts.

We should be responsible for those for whom we work and to those with whom we work. We believe that we should cooperate with and work with others. We shall strive to be loyal, friendly and respect the rights of others and refrain from doing anything that would impede the progress of the club.

A source of income for the club began with ticket raffles and revenues from teas and concerts. The second Thursday of each month, from September through May, was chosen as our meeting day. Dues were $.50 per month for a number of years. Memberships grew from six members to twelve members within the first year.

On our first anniversary, the first guest speaker was Mrs. Willie Mae Douglas of Jefferson, Texas. Today, our dues have increased gradually from $.50 monthly to $70.00 annually. Our meeting day’s haven changed to twice a month with a business meeting on the second Monday and a social meeting on the fourth Monday of the month. Birthdays are celebrated at the social meeting with designated hostesses in charge. Past years we have celebrated our anniversary by presenting banquets, outstanding vocalists, pianists, a college choir, or a speaker. Recreational activities included house parties, dining out together, picnics and Christmas parties. Later, we also sponsored “Senior night Out.” We have also taken trips together to Eureka Springs, Amarillo, Austin, and Shreveport.

The club became affiliated with the Olivia Williams District in 1974. Mrs. Eliza Marshal McNeil initiated the affiliation. After becoming affiliated, we organized the “Junior Fine Arts Club. “ At that time, there were 19 clubs in the district and we enjoyed attending the meetings. The competition was high.

Both clubs won first and second places in art exhibitions, contests, and attendance and overall performances. While being affiliated with the district, members have served as 2nd Vice-President, Financial Secretary, Youth Counselor, Parliamentarian, Auditor, and Treasurer.

Members also have held offices at the State level. Fourteen club members have been inducted into the Texas Association of women’s Hall of fame. They are Carine Harper, Beatrice Daniels, Cynthia Webster-Moore, Georgia Lawson, Millie Davis, Bobbie Dickerson-Wallace, Barbara Davis, Raphaelle Huckaby, Gwen Anderson, Thelma Webster, Shirley Washington, Patricia Collins, Paula Frazier, and Wanda Jordan.

Civic involvement for the club has included working at the election polls, promoting voter registration, volunteering at the cancer society, library, hospital, school, housing authority, and other places in the community.

In 1980, we presented our first “Little Miss Fine Arts Revue” which was a huge success. The pageant is our major fundraiser which enables us to award scholarships; our first scholarship was awarded to Ozenia Banks in the amount of$40.00 We now provide two scholarship to Atlanta ISD and one each to a Queen City and Linden ISD student ranging from $500.00 to $1, 000.00 depending on the amount of money raised. We also give an additional $250.00 scholarship from our District Club, (The Olivia Williams District Federated Women Club) on behalf of our local club, for hosting District meetings.

One of our major accomplishments was the purchase of a clubhouse which gives us a permanent place to meet and is an asset also, to the community. It is used for school and family reunions, birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, receptions, lodge meetings, and other events.

Other accomplishments include donations of$1,000.00 to the Atlanta Public Library and Allen Rodgers Retreat. We were also instrumental in working with city officials in the Bessie Coleman monument erected downtown. We have also helped families and churches that have lost their homes to afire and to people who have medical and other special needs.

We have sponsored Juneteenth parades with activities at McNoble Harper Park, provided school supplies for students going back to school, sponsored pizza parties for contestants and their families, sponsored blood drives and worked the American Cancer Society. We also donate to the senior citizen of Atlanta activity.

We honor the memory of fifteen dedicated members namely: Ethel Luckey, Verna Demery, Hattie Cotton, Bonnie Sasser, Sallye Murray, Oretha Coleman, Odessa Patterson, Leola Booth, Pauline Fisher, and Cleta Henderson, Blanche Haskins, Carine Harper, Helen Washington, Beatrice Daniels, and Millie Davis.

Our newest member of the Club is Lutreasa Jackson.

With putting God First, our club has been existence for 57 years and we continue “Lifting As We Climb”.

Our current officers are:

Gwendolyn Anderson - President

Raphaelle Huckaby - Vice-President

Cynthia Moore - Secretary

Barbara Davis - Assistant Secretary

Patricia Collins - Financial Secretary

Patricia Collins - Treasurer

Georgia Lawson - Chaplain