The Links, Incorporated

Infobox Fraternity
letters = LINKS
name = The Links, Incorporated
motto = "We're each a Link in friendship's chain." cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.thelinksinc.org/|title=The Links in Action |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-29]
crest =
founded = Birth date and age|1946|11|9
type = Social
scope = International
USA,
GER,
BAH,
ZAF
address = 1200 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
symbol = | city = Washington
state = District of Columbia
country = USA
chapters = 247 | colors =Green █ and White █
Nickname
free = Links
homepage = [http://www.linksinc.org/ The Links, Incorporated website]
birthplace = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
flower = White Rose [The Links, Incorporated. [http://www.portsmouthlinks.org/index.html The Links, Incorporated - Portsmouth, New Hampshire Chapter.] Retrieved on January 21, 2007]
free_label =
symbol = Chain

The Links, Incorporated is an exclusive non-profit organization based upon the ideals of combining friendship and community service. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 9, 1946, from a group of ladies known as the Philadelphia Club to focus on civic, cultural, and educational endeavors.cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2006 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/about.html |title=About Us|publisher=The Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07] The organization was formally incorporated five years later, in 1951.cite web |first=Angel City Links |date=2005 |url=http://www.angelcitylinks.org/AboutTheLinks/tabid/53/Default.aspx |title=The Links in Action |publisher=Angel City Links — Los Angeles, California|accessdate=2006-08-14]

Links, Incorporated comprises primarily of professional African-American women. Membership is extended to candidates nominated and approved by currently active Link members. In addition, membership is also extended to daughters of active Link members, who are called "Heir-O-Links."cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/pres_frazier.html|title=Proclamation Link Regina Jollivette Frazier |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07] For example, ninth National Link President, Regina Jollivette Frazier, was the first "Heir-O-Link" president in 1986.cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/pres_frazier.html|title=Proclamation Link Regina Jollivette Frazier |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07] Currently, the Links, Incorporated, has over 10,000 members and 274 chapters internationally, including Germany, South Africa and the Bahamas.cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/action/action.html |title=The Links in Action |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-29] cite web |first=Southern Area of the Links, Incorporated |date=2006 |url=http://www.salinks.org/custom.aspx?id=291|title=Chapters - South Africa |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07] The Links, Incorporated celebrated their sixtieth anniversary on November 9, 2006. In honor of the achievement, commemorative medals were issued to celebrate the organization's achievements.cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2006 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/assembly/commemorative1.html |title=35th National Assembly Anniversary Items |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07]

Mission statement

Within the organization, the Links, Incorporated's overall goals are to:cite web |first=Angel City Links |date=2005 |url=http://www.angelcitylinks.org/AboutTheLinks/tabid/53/Default.aspx |title=The Links in Action |publisher=Angel City Links — Los Angeles, California|accessdate=2006-08-14]

* Redefine Links's purposes, sharpen its focus and expand its program dimensions in order to make Links, not only a chain of friendship, but also a chain of purposeful service.
* Use the talent of each member to help fulfill the hopes and dreams of others.
* Enrich and support those who are educationally disadvantaged and culturally deprived.
* Remain committed to making history and providing hope.

Four facets of The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated focuses primarily on four strategic areas of interest ("facets"):

* National Trends and Services: Currently, The Links sponsor "Linkages to Life: Organ Tissue and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Program," which promotes organ donation. In addition, in October 2006, the Links, donated one million dollars to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, which will be used to create "The Links Incorporated Educational and Cultural Center," promoting social and civil progress in America. [cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=October 2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/news/awards/National_Civil_Rights_Museum_10-2006.html|title=The Links Award One Million Grant to the National Civil Rights Museum During the 2006 Freedom Award|publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-02-10]
* Services for Youth: The Links, Incorporated, offers programs such as Operation SEED and "Just Say 'No'!" in order to educate youth about the perils of drug and substance abuse as well as improve the self-esteem of teens.
* International Trends and Services: The Links are active in African and Caribbean affairs. For example, in "Education Across the Miles," the Links donated more than US$300,000 in order to build schools in South Africa and Nigeria.cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/community/intl/int_trends.html |title=International Trends and Services |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-30] On October 21, 2005, the Links were honored at the United Nations's 60th Anniversary Gala in New York City. cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/community/intl/int_trends.html |title=International Trends and Services |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-30]
* The Arts: The Links, Incorporated, are actively involved in promoting African and African American art, in order to educate youth and adults about the artwork's significance. The art component of the Links was put into place by Link Margaret Hough and was placed into the organization in 1964 after the Links' Fourteenth National Assembly in Nassau, Bahamas.cite web |first=The Links Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/community/arts/arts.html|title=Arts |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-30]

History

The Philadelphia Club

In 1946, two homemakers, Sarah Strickland-Scott and Margaret Rosell Hawkins, had a vision to found a club for colored women which would aim to enrich the community through education and the arts. [cite news |first=
last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=The Links: women's organization celebrates 50th anniversary - African American civic organization founded by Sarah Scott and Margaret Hawkins in Philadelphia, PA |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n9_v51/ai_18435320 |work=Ebony |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company |pages= |page= |date=1996-06-01 |accessdate=2007-01-07 |language=English |quote=] As a result, on November 9, 1946, Scott and Hawkins formed the Philadelphia Club.

During its early years, meetings were held in members' homes. If a meeting was held in a member's home, she would have to serve as hostess. The Philadelphia Club was limited to fourteen members, and if a member missed a meeting, her membership would be revoked.cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2005|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/about2.html|title=The Links, Incorporated — About Us, Page 2 |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08] Meetings were held monthly, and dues were fifty cents per month (2005 value of $5.00,cite web |first=Measuring Worth.com |date=2005|url=http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/compare/|title=Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 - 2005 |publisher=Measuring Worth.com|accessdate=2007-01-08] according to the Consumer Price Index). Most of the Link members were also members of Jack-and-Jill, an organization for African-American mothers with young children, (now known as [http://www.jack-and-jill.org/ Jack-and Jill of America] ) and sought to expand the Links organization to other cities. Potential members were invited by members of the original Philadelphia Club through relatives, acquaintances, or via membership through other organizations such as the National Medical Association, the American Dental Association, the Urban League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Original club membership

Two home-makers are credited with the group's foundation:cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/about6.html |title=About Us—Page 6|publisher=The Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-09] The organization was incorporated on March 28, 1951. [Portsmouth Chapter, The Links, Incorporated. [http://www.portsmouthlinks.org/history.html History] . Retrieved on January 21, 2007.]

Members co-involvement with National Pan-Hellenic Council Sororities

Several members of The Links, Incorporated, are also members of the four National Pan-Hellenic Council Sororities (mainly Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated). For example:
*Founding Link Katie Murphy Greene was member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.cite web |first=Katie Murphy Green|date=2005 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/green.html |title=Katie Murphy Green |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2006-07-29]
*Writer of Link History (1st and 2nd Editions) Marjorie H. Parker, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
*Immediate Past National President, Gladys Gary Vaughn, is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.cite web |first=President Vaughn|date=2006 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/pres_vaughn.html |title=President Vaughn |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-02-25] Also, current National President Gwendolyn B. Lee is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. cite web |first=date=May 9, 2007 |url=http://www.aka1908.com/news/ebony/|title=Alpha Kappa Alpha Members among "Ebony Magazine"'s 'Power 150' |publisher=Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-05-09]

Future impact

Almost forty years after The Links's founding in Philadelphia, the Links's National President Dolly Adams honored the five living founding members of the Philadelphia Club in their home city during the 24th National Assembly, cquote|"We will strive to love each other as you have loved us, and keep The Links' chain of friend-ship ever flourishing and expanding. We thank you for your vision, wisdom, guidance, and abundant talent unselfishly shared with all Linkdom."cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2005|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/about2.html|title=The Links, Incorporated — About Us, Page 2 |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08] The exclusiveness of the Links organization, as well as its selection process, helped to shape the importance and impact of each member's involvement. Most Link members are involved with professions relating to business, education, law, politics, military, government, medicine, and entertaiment. For example, current Links President Gwendolyn B. Lee proclaimed December 7, 2006 a day for NASA STS-116 astronaut and fellow Link Joan Higginbotham.cite web |first=Dr. Gwendolyn B. Lee |date=2006-12-07 |url=http://www.linksinc.org/Downloads/ProclamationJoanHigginbothamDay.doc|title=Proclamation Joan E. Higginbotham Day |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-07]

Presidents

To date, The Links, Incorporated, has had fourteen National Presidents, each of whom (except one) served (or serves) a four-year term. Each National President is selected by her peers and must have fulfilled certain guidelines outlined by the organization before running for the position.

National Assemblies

*1st – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1949)
*2nd – Atlantic City, New Jersey (1950)
*3rd – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1951)
*4th – San Francisco, California (1952)
*5th – Buffalo, New York (1953)
*6th – Bluefield, Virginia (1954)
*7th – Columbus, Ohio (1955)
*8th – Denver, Colorado (1956)
*9th — Atlanta, Georgia (1957)
*10th – New York, New York (1958)
*11th – Chicago, Illinois (1959)
*12th – Los Angeles, California (1960)
*13th – French Lick, Indiana (1962)
*14th – Nassau, Bahamas (1964)
*15th – Boston, Massachusetts (1966)
*16th – Oakland/Berkeley, California (1968)
*17th – Cincinnati, Ohio (1970)
*18th – New Orleans, Louisiana (1972)
*19th – Washington, D.C. (1974)
*20th – Seattle, Washington (1976)
*21st – Chicago, Illinois (1978)
*22nd – Atlanta, Georgia (1980)
*23rd – Las Vegas, Nevada (1982)cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/pres_scott.html|title=Link Sarah Strickland Scott |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08]
*24th – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1984)cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated |date=2005|url=http://www.linksinc.org/about/about2.html|title=The Links, Incorporated — About Us, Page 2 |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08]
*25th – Nashville, Tennessee (1986) Fact|date=February 2007
*26th – Syracuse, New York (1988)Fact|date=February 2007
*27th – Washington, D.C. (1990)Fact|date=February 2007
*28th – Dallas, Texas (1992) ["Cocktail Chitchat," "Jet Magazine," page 30. July 27, 1992. Chicago (IL): Johnson Publishing Company.]
*29th – Louisville, Kentucky (1994)Fact|date=February 2007
*30th – New Orleans, Louisiana (1996)Fact|date=February 2007
*31st – Boston, Massachusetts (1998) [Carney, Beth and Dezell, Maurene "Taylor takes on the millennium." "The Boston Globe." Page D2, Living Section. July 3, 1998. Boston (MA): Globe Newspaper Company.]
*32nd – San Francisco, California (2000)Fact|date=February 2007
*33rd – Chicago, Illinois (2002)Fact|date=February 2007
*34th – Atlanta, Georgia (2004)Fact|date=February 2007
*35th – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2006)
*36th – Seattle, Washington (2008)cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated — Western Area |date=2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/action/western/conferences.html|title=Conferences and Meetings |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08]

"Note: The History of The Links, Incorporated, ends the listing of the national assemblies in 1982. Also, each national assembly was held annually, until 1960, when conventions were held bi-annually."

tamp

In "Link-to-Link" (the organization's official newsletter), Link member Edith Hammond revealed a U.S. postal stamp during the organization's thirty-fifth convention on June 28, 2006. The stamp, entitled "Touching Tomorrow Today," marked the sixtieth anniversary of The Links, Incorporated. The illustration of the stamp shows the Links' national headquarters in Washington, D.C. The stamp is the first and only stamp honoring an African-American organization. The side inscription reads the following: cquote|This new "PC Postage" stamp commemorates 60 years of service through friendship by The Links, Incorporated, a not-for-profit organization of more than 10,500 women of color committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of children and families of African ancestry by focusing on service to the community.cite web |first=Welcome|date=Fall 2006|url=http://www.linksinc.org/Downloads/2006_final_newsletter.pdf|title="Link-to-Link" |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-01-08] Hammond, also the designer of the stamp, revealed, " [the stamp] was an honor to create a living legacy."

Donations to Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Through the implementation of the "Central Area HBCU Fund," scholarship funds were donated to historically black college and universities. The endeavor began in 2005 and assisted fourteen institutions. The largest endowed gift made by the Links was $100,000 donated to Fisk University. Shown are below are the fourteen colleges which received endowment:cite web |first=The Links, Incorporated|date=Spring 2007|url=http://www.linksinc.org/Downloads/spring_2007_FINAL.pdf|title="Link-to-Link" |publisher=Links, Incorporated|accessdate=2007-04-07]
*Fisk University — (Nashville, Tennessee)
*Tennessee State University — (Nashville, Tennessee)
*Central State University — (Wilberforce, Ohio)
*Wilberforce University — (Wilberforce, Ohio)
*West Virginia State University — (Charleston, West Virginia)
*Harris-Stowe State College — (St. Louis, Missouri)
*Langston University — (Langston, Oklahoma)
*LeMoyne-Owen College — (Memphis, Tennessee)
*Kentucky State University — (Frankfort, Kentucky)
*University of Arkansas — (Pine Bluff, Arkansas)
*Lane College — (Jackson, Tennessee)
*Bluefield State College — (Bluefield, West Virginia)
*Philander Smith College — (Little Rock, Arkansas)
*Knoxville College — (Knoxville, Tennessee)
*West Virginia State University — (Charleston, West Virginia)

References

* Parker, Marjorie H. (1982). [1st edition] "The History of Links, Incorporated." Washington, D.C.: National Headquarters of The Links, Incorporated. 116 pages. Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN): 82-81579.
* Parker, Marjorie H. (1992). [2nd edition] "A History of Links, Incorporated." Washington, D.C.: National Headquarters of The Links, Incorporated. 194 pages.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.linksinc.org/ The Links, Incorporated official website]