OWL CLUB OF DENVER

Denver

News: The Owl Club of Denver will mark the 80th anniversary of its founding by hosting a virtual celebration on Dec. 18. It begins at noon and is open to all who are interested in learning more about the club and its history of service to the community.

The club is perhaps best known for its annual Debutante Cotillion, a black-tie ceremony honoring female African-American college-bound high school seniors who have excelled academically and in extracurricular activities.

A link to the Zoom access can be found on the club’s Facebook page.

About the organization: The Owl Club of Denver was founded in 1941 as a men’s social club and chartered by the state of Colorado at a ceremony held in 1949 at the University Club. The club had its start when a group of African American friends, who had been railroad porters and waiters, met for after-work poker games that quickly became their Saturday night tradition. Eventually, prominent Denver business and civic leaders joined the group.

Members established the Owl Club of Denver Debutante Cotillion in 1951, with the inaugural class made up of 10 young ladies from Manual and East high schools who were chosen on the basis of scholastic performance and community service rather than socioeconomic status.

Over the years, the club has presented some 1,600 debutantes, whose ranks include: former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who grew up in Denver; Allegra “Happy” Haynes, former president of the Denver School Board and current executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation; and Charleszine “Terry” Nelson, senior special collections librarian at the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/theowlclubofdenver/ 

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