For its annual Carnival ball Friday, the Young Men Illinois Club Inc. celebrated a century with the theme: “Centennial Anniversary of Excellence” at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
The club originates from the Original Illinois Club and Wiley J. Knight, often referred to as the “Father of Negro Society in New Orleans” in 1895. Tradition holds the name — Illinois Club — was derived from the fact that Mr. Knight was part of the Pullman porter group which serviced trains traveling between Chicago and New Orleans. Moreover, Mr. Knight was immersed in the tales of culture and tradition he heard while working up to 18 hours per day on the trains. His unheralded desire to promote social customs and culture to the African American community led him to open a dance studio in Uptown New Orleans near Cadiz and Camp streets in the early 1900s.
For the centennial, the club paid homage to outstanding New Orleans women who have served as trailblazers in social causes, culture, education and the arts, such as Leah Chase, Ruby Bridges, Irma Thomas, Sybil Morial and Dorothy Taylor, to name a few…