Chautauqua Circle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chautauqua Circle is an African American women's scholarship and service organization based in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] Founded in 1913 by Henrietta Curtis Porter, the organization was an offshoot of the larger Chautauqua movement.[2][3]
Organization efforts began in 1912 at the home of Mrs C C Carter on Jackson Street, Atlanta, with Mrs C H Johnson, Mrs John Bell, Mrs Walter Covington, and Henrietta Porter (Mrs J R) attending. Porter had attended three years of the Lecture Study Course at Lake Chautauqua, run by Bishop John H. Vincent, and wanted to share her passion for education. The women agreed to form a Chautauqua Study Club "with the ideals of the parent-body".[4]
In the original constitution, membership was limited to 15 members, with replacement members admitted through membership vote. The organization had three officers, who held their positions for one year: president, secretary, and treasurer. Members who missed three meetings in a row would be dropped.[5]
Since 1918, the "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black National Anthem, has been sung at every meeting.[2]
- Official Colors: Green and White
- Motto: “Keep Moving: A Standing Pool Becomes Stagnant
Activities
Today, meetings often feature well known, professional, speakers and are hosted in local venues. At its founding, members met in their homes. For meeting programs, they conducted research and wrote presentations on current events from the early 20th Century, including the Panama Canal and Mexican Revolution.[2] The issue of woman suffrage was of lesser concern than among white women's clubs in Atlanta, with few mentions in club minutes. In 1919, a motion to support woman suffrage passed with a narrow margin after debate.[6]
Members pursued philanthropic work, especially focused on the education of Black students. They offered summer school classes and topical lectures.[7]
