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Elks Bartender
Unpublished Tribune photo from September of
1950
Elks Bartender
Unpublished Tribune photo from September of
1950
Bartender Herman Walker stands ready to serve at the Elks Club in this unpublished photo from 1950. At that time, the Ames Elks Club met at 232½-234½ Main Street above McLellan’s, now Lazy M Shoe Store. Although Ames did not have as much racial diversity in the first half of the twentieth century as larger communities, there were a number of African-American families living here. The following families have been documented as residing in Ames during that time. Anyone aware of additional families to supplement this list is invited to share that information with the Ames Historical Society.
| Anthony family | Banning family¹ | Brown family |
| Dodson family | Gater family² | Greene family |
| Jackman family | Joseph family | Kelley family |
| Lawrie family | Madison family | Martin family³ |
| Norfleet family | Oatts family | Shipp family |
| Simmons family | Smith family | Walker family |
| Williams family | Wyatt family | |
| ¹ The Riley and Cora Banning family moved to Ames in 1919 where they farmed. Their son, Herman, became the first black flyer to obtain a federal pilot's license, and was the first black flyer to make a transcontinental flight. Herman attended Iowa State College in 1919. | ||
| ² Ames Tri-Weekly
Tribune, July 12, 1918
COLORED MEN GIVEN FAREWELL - At the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Gater, this evening, a farewell reception will be given the five colored men who are soon to leave the city and add to the nation's call. The reception will be informal in every way and is held this evening owing to the fact that Robert Harris will leave tomorrow for Des Moines, where he will enter training at Camp Dodge. Dr. Richardson, who is now in Boone, but who is a graduate from Iowa State College, and who has received notification that he will enter the veterinary department and is but awaiting the call, will be one of the honored guests. Besides the two mentioned above there are three other colored men who will soon have to report for duty. They are: Les Braxton, Paul Martin, and Clifford Smith. That such a meeting should be held for them expresses the sentiment of the colored people of Ames toward the colored boys, who will do their part, and do it well. |
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| ³ Archie and Nancy Martin provided rooms for African-American students attending Iowa State College in the 1930s and 1940s. Learn more about the Martins. | ||
He who drinks and drinks with grace,
is always welcome in this place,
He who drinks more than his share,
is never welcome anywhere.
Note: There is a New Jersey rock group that has taken its name, He who drinks with Grace, from the first line of the same verse.
(photo courtesy of Terry Adams)
Herman Walker is also included in this Ames businessmen photo, possibly taken in the new (in 1956) Elks Lodge at 522 Douglas. Some of the men have not yet been identified. Terry Adams says, That's my dad, Frank Adams in the front row at the left. Next to him is Rex Beresford from Collegiate [Manufacturing]. Fourth from left is Clint Adams. In the back row fifth from left is Chev Adams. Charlie Barr is in the back row at left. Louise Thompson tells us, The photo of the men that Terry Adams supplied includes my father, W.H. Thompson, seated 2nd from right.
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