North Carolina originally, and later, she moved to
just didn’t frequent that club. But the Pyramid Club
loved him. He also started the Philadelphia Cotillion
New Hope, Pennsylvania. John Harris, who taught
was open to whomever, if you were a gentleman.
Society. Institutions like the Cotillion Society were
me at Sulzberger when I was a student, was another
But there was also a ladies’ auxiliary, a social club in
for girls, and their only purpose was to give black
member of the club. He became a professor of art
which women could participate.
youths a platform from which to launch themselves
at Cheyney State College as well. GOLD: Harris and Burke are represented in
this exhibition.
GOLD: Were there other social clubs that were
important for the black community in Philadelphia? SUMPTER: Yes, black people without a shadow of
into life, socially. Eugene was one of those important people, like Samuel L. Evans. MCCAY: Evans was the president of the
Pyramid Club?
SUMPTER: Oh, wonderful! Other Pyramid Club
a doubt certainly did have a society in Philadelphia.
members included Paul Keene, who was a later
We had home parties; there were sororities; there
SUMPTER: Yes, he was the president in all the years
member, as was Samuel Curtis. Sam was a professor
were fraternities; and there were social clubs. These
of my tenure there. When I joined the club after I
of art at Cheyney State College (now Cheyney
social clubs were the supporting arms for any event
returned from Europe, where I was stationed during
University of Pennsylvania). Jack Bookbinder and
that involved black culture. For instance, Dr. Eugene
the Korean War, it was Sam who recommended me
Morris Blackburn also contributed much to the
Wayman Jones was a tenured professor at Temple
for membership. He was a most remarkable man—
Pyramid Club as artists. These were two white
University who bought a brownstone in an area on
probably the single most influential supporter of
members. There was more to the club than just
Broad Street that at one time was known as the
black culture in Philadelphia. “I’m a scholar,” he’d
having black members; it also attracted a lot of
“sugar hill” for black folks who lived north of Girard
tell you with great pride, “and an entrepreneur.” He
white clientele because it was a rival club to the
Avenue. There he initiated a social club he called the
dressed immaculately. When you dressed out of
Union League of Philadelphia, on South Broad
Heritage House. The Pyramid Club ladies’ auxiliary
Brooks Brothers back in those days, you dressed!
Samuel J. Brown at work in his office at 5914 Thompson Street, 1946. (John W. Mosley Photograph Collection, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA) Photograph by John W. Mosley
Street, which did not allow blacks. If blacks were
interacted often with the Heritage House. Eugene
And he had beautiful pipes. He was my influence
entertained there, it was only on rare occasions. You
was charismatic to no end—I mean, the ladies just
when I began smoking a pipe. Sam also initiated
Dox Thrash (far left), Beatrice Overton (second from left), and others at the Pyramid Club. 1940s. (John W. Mosley Photograph Collection, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA) Photograph by John W. Mosley
(Left to right) Humbert Howard, Morris Blackburn, Lois Jones, an unidentified man, and Jacob Lawrence at the Pyramid Club Art Exhibition, 1957. (John W. Mosley Photograph Collection, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA) Photograph by John W. Mosley
The October 1941 Pictorial Album of the Pyramid Club. (Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA)
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WOODMERE ART MUSEUM
WE SPEAK: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s–1970s
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