The Memorial Day weekend marks when our annual Hershey soirée takes place for an evening of high style. This year, Club 21, a private organization for African-American men, celebrates their journey of success in the Harrisburg area for seven decades.
Just like we don’t want to overlook Memorial Day’s significance as a holiday to have a day off from work to go to barbecues, Club Twenty-One’s yearly event also has deep meaning. It’s not just a party but roots steeped in history and accomplishments.
The only time club history shared with introductions before the evening events commence. There are formal introductions and a short bio of each of the twenty-one members. As well as entertainment line-up for the night.
The Club was founded as a social club in 1946. It can proudly point to some significant accomplishments that grew out of the earnest desire of the club’s founders to assert themselves and use their full range of talents for the betterment of the community.
It’s also worth noting that the members of Club Twenty-One are credited with taking instrumental roles in reactivating the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1947, helping to memorialize the name and legacy of the outstanding Harrisburg educator, Dr. William Howard Day, and breaking down the bars of segregation in places of public accommodations in the Harrisburg area.
The club’s first formal dinner dance was held on Friday, November 22, 1946. In the many intervening years, that event and similar ones have been black-tie dinner dances for members, their wives, family, and friends.
Club Twenty-One continues to maintain its original purpose of providing a social outlet for men of color, who were barred from hotels and other places open to the public at the time of its inception.
This year’s dinner dance commemorates seventy years, with the club members donning white dinner jackets with tuxedo pants. The white dinner jacket was adopted in the 1930s for a warm-weather formal in Palm Springs. We sometimes forget that men have a few options regarding black tie attire.
My husband, an attorney, received his invitation to join the social club in 1993. We attended our first dinner dance in 1994. Can you find me in the photo above?
Over the last twenty-three years, I adopted a more formal/black tie attire. What’s proper to wear? And most importantly, what works best for my body type?
At that time, I developed an appreciation for the long gown. It fits in with the elegance of the evening. I like that I now have a wardrobe of fancy dresses. I rotate them as we go to many black-tie events every year.
In my short ↑ video above, there are at least two cocktail dresses. I used to prefer cocktail dresses and suits because I could get more wear out of them.
One thing I noticed is very few retailers cater to women over the age of 50. Have you ever seen companies primarily focusing on women over 50 but still utilizing young and thin models to show their clothes online?
Teri Jon is my go-to designer for cocktail attire. Every piece I’ve purchased is well-made, usually of natural fibers with incredible details. Teri Jon has excellent options for mother-of-the-bride, matron-of-the-honor, cocktail and daytime dresses, and evening gowns. On their website, you can shop occasionally, and plus-size options are also available.
How was your Memorial Day Weekend? Do you have any family traditions? Please do share in the comments below.
Have a fabulous, healthy, and stylish week.
