Lifting as We Climb: Honoring the Philomatheans (Landmark Plaque Unveiling)

Join us in celebrating the unveiling of the Philomathean Club’s Historic Landmark Plaque, recognizing its enduring legacy as a vital site of community, culture, and civic engagement in Santa Monica. Enjoy light snacks and refreshments as we honor this important milestone with special remarks from the Philomathean Club Board, the Santa Monica Conservancy, the Quinn Research Center, and 18th Street Arts Center.

Free and open to the public — all are welcome to join this historic moment.

Philomathean Club

Founded in 1921, the Philomathean Club of Santa Monica is one of the city’s oldest African American women’s organizations. For over a century, the Club has served as a hub for education, civic leadership, and social advancement, offering a space for women to gather, learn, and advocate for equity and community wellbeing. Its historic clubhouse on 18th Street stands as a testament to the enduring strength and cultural contributions of Santa Monica’s Black community.

18th Street Arts Center amplifies the impact of artists on society. Conceived by artists in 1988 as a radical think tank in the shape of an artist community, 18SAC supports artists from around the globe through its residency programs to imagine, research, and develop significant, meaningful new artworks in collaboration with the public. We provide artists the space and time to take risks and to create experiences and partnerships that foster positive social change.

The Quinn Research Center (QRC) is an archive of Black family history and Santa Monica Bay culture from the early 1900s through the present. The QRC is named after Dr. Alfred Quinn, a prominent educator, whose collection of photographs, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, letters, and other items serves as a documentation of the community of color in Santa Monica during the 1960s—a community that was later displaced by the building of the 10 freeway. Carolyne and Bill Edwards, as the founders and stewards of the QRC, are actively seeking recognition of Santa Monica's lost cultural heritage.

The Santa Monica Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and celebrating the city’s historic places. Through education, advocacy, and preservation programs, the Conservancy works to ensure that Santa Monica’s rich architectural and cultural heritage is preserved and appreciated by future generations.

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