Our History

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In 1909, William Howard Taft became President of the United States, Robert F. Maddox was Mayor of Atlanta and Jim Crow segregation and prohibition had a firm hold throughout Georgia. Despite the violence and bloodshed of the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906, Atlanta’s African American population was approaching 35,000 and included a burgeoning and educated middle class due in part to the existence of Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College. During this time, W.E.B. Du Bois founded the Niagra Movement, an association of Black intellectual activists at Atlanta University. It was within this environment that The Inquirers Literary Club was formed in February 1909 by a group of involved Atlanta housewives. John Hope, Morehouse College President and the husband of charter member and

activist, Lugenia Burns Hope gave the group its name. Many of its first members were wives of faculty at Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College.

 

According to our archives, the twelve women who attended the first meeting included Mrs. Daniel Anderson, Mrs. Samuel Howard Archer, Mrs. Matthew Bullock, Mrs. George Burch, Mrs. Walter Carey, Mrs. Samuel Cunningham, Mrs. Kemper Harreld, Mrs. John Hope, Mrs. Zach Hubert, Mrs. George Towns, Mrs. Charles Wardlaw and Mrs. William Wynn. They decided that the Club would meet monthly for dinner and discussion at the home of members; selected brown and blue as the Club colors; and the white rose as its flower.

 

For the 100th Anniversary, we determined the first names of our founders: Mrs. Mary Anderson, Mrs. Annie Johnson Archer, Mrs. Katherine Bullock, Mrs. Lizzie Burch, Mrs. Sadie Harvey Carey, Mrs. Belle Jackson Cunningham, Mrs. Claudia White Harreld, Mrs. Lugenia Burns Hope, Mrs. Marietta Hubert, Mrs. Harriet McNair Towns, Mrs. Mary James Wardlaw, and Mrs. Ida B. Wynn.

 

In the early days, the meetings tended to focus on literary topics; however, the scope of program interests has expanded over the years to include local and nationally known speakers on current events, health, education, the arts and other pertinent topics of the day. The Club is multigenerational and from its early years, a portion of Club membership has included generations of families including mothers, daughters, granddaughters and in-laws. For example, Margaret Washington Clifford and her daughter, Robin Banks are the granddaughter and great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington. Currently, Club membership stands at 30 and its members are united through strong bonds of friendship, sisterhood and deep pride in being part of and continuing the legacy of its founders.

 

The Inquirers Club has been active and met continuously since it’s founding in 1909. We believe this makes the Inquirers Club the oldest, continuously meeting African American women’s literary circle in the United States.