Founded as the brainchild of Agatha Scott, The Gay Northeasterners, Inc. held its initial organizational meeting during the weekend of June 28, 1930. Its charter members consisted of 50 women from the first three chapters—New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
New York began with nine local and eight national members; Philadelphia began with eight local and four national members, and Washington, D.C. began with fifteen local and six national members.
Agatha Scott wrote: “After spending weekends in various cities in the Northeast during the fall and winter of 1928, visiting friends and meeting many charitable debutantes, I became convinced that it would be an excellent idea to form a club whose purpose would be the development of the feeling of sisterhood among daughters of the socially prominent Easterners. The problem of organizing a group of congenial individuals of similar interests was soon solved. A form was sent out to the most personable and cultured young ladies of the East.”
Agatha Scott’s dream grew rapidly and was followed by prompt action. Applications were mailed and, when returned and membership accepted, a list of prospective members was made. The weekend beginning on June 28, 1930, was designated as the best time for the initial organizational meeting, at the home of Beatrice Roberts in New York City. Although all could not be present, fifty young women constituted the charter members. Charter members, Vivienne Scott (Melville), Phyllis Taylor (Means), and Ethel Harris (Tate), in 1930 on 127th Street in Harlem are pictured.
Many things had to be decided at the first meeting on June 30, 1930. First and foremost, there was the question of a name for the club. This did not pose a problem since the ladies were bright, merry, and gay, and were all from the northeastern section of the country. There is no record of the genius that put the two characteristics together, but the name Gay Northeasterners was welcomed and accepted unanimously.
With the increasing public acceptance of Gay individuals, the term “Gay” took on a new meaning in society. At the national convention in 1976, the body voted to remove the word “Gay” from the name of the organization and the club officially became the “Northeasterners, Inc.” and a new logo, the letter “N” was designed for the club’s stationery.
Agatha Scott’s dream to organize a club to develop sisterhood remains alive as the spirit of friendship flourishes in our thirteen chapters.
The Northeasterners has now been in existence as a viable women’s club for 90 years. True to its founder’s original stated purpose, its members have met regularly and participated in social activities of common interest. It has fostered and maintained strong bonds of friendship among its members, and it has made numerous meaningful charitable contributions locally, nationally and internationally. As early as 1931, the Northeasterners, recognizing the needs of others during the Great Depression, formed a Scholarship Committee. At the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Northeasterners, a gift of $10,000 was presented to the United Negro College Fund.
Of special note, is that Northeasterners Founder, Agatha Scott, was from New Haven, Connecticut and it was most fitting that in our 88th year history that Northeasterners welcomed Connecticut as our newest chapter installed on November 4, 2017. The club continues to gain strength as it acquires new members, many of them second and third generation Northeasterners.
Memorabilia of this great organization have been placed in the archives of the Schomburg Center of Research and Black Culture, New York Public Library.
The Northeasterners heritage remains clear: the development of close friendships, service to others, and individual achievement.
Northeasterners 75th Anniversary celebration at the National Convention was noted in the September 5, 2005 issue of Jet Magazine.
