This past weekend Richmond got the opportunity to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Treble Clef and Book Lovers’ Club, one of the oldest African-American women’s book clubs in the US.
Started in 1908 by Mrs. Mary Simpson, the wife of a Virginia Union University Latin professor, the club has a rich history: it has hosted readings by the likes of author James Baldwin, raised money for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s efforts during the Civil Rights Movements, and established the first kindergarten for black residents in Richmond Public Schools during the days of segregation. http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/celebrating-years-of-sophistication/article_feb58944-e458-5675-9137-fdb5fb3eabd4.html
The club presently supports a new generation of readers and music lovers on Virginia Union’s campus by awarding endowed scholarships to VUU’s Fine Arts Department.
This weekend’s celebration featured speeches by current president Mrs. Thelma Y. Pettis, a figure as kind and wisened as the late Maya Angelou. Author and spoken word poet Dr. Peyton McCoy was the Master of Ceremonies and rapped with the precision of Nikki Giovanni and the jazz of Gwendolyn Brooks. Music was presented by local artists Mr. J. D. Young, Dr. W. Weldon Hill of Virginia State University’s Department of Music, and Mrs. Joye B. Moore, who will be performing at the Richmond Jazz Festival this August. There was also a grooving dance routine to Mary J. Blige’s cover of “Let No Man Put Asunder” by WWBT/NBC12 Vice President and General Manager Kym Grinnage and his wife, Kyle, with moves reminiscent of 70s partner dancing in Brooklyn. “John Travolta didn’t invent ‘The Hustle’, you know,” Kym Grinnage said with a smile.
The Treble Clef and Book Lovers’ Club is a group of 20-25 women who can join by invitation only and boasts members with a wide range of backgrounds and occupations, including former Richmond Public Schools superintendent Lucille M. Brown and Adrienne Whitaker, director of business development at Greater Richmond ARC.
Members discuss one book over the full calendar year, taking each monthly meeting to discuss a different aspect of the book. Past books include: Little Rock Girl 1957 by Shelley Tougas; The Help by Kathryn Stockett; Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg; and The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.
Senator Tim Kaine, Governor Ralph Northam, and Mayor Levar Stoney were among the high-profile Virginia politicians to reach out and wish these women a heartfelt congratulations.
“From writers to musicians to the theatre, Treble Clef has made a mark on cultural understanding in Richmond by embracing others who share a love for literature and the arts while expanding its reach into religion, medicine and other areas of interest,” wrote Senator Kaine in a letter to club president Pettis.
As Richmond continues to grapple with its divided past, it’s important that we take the time to celebrate a groundbreaking intellectual and cultural group that continues making history.
