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Langston Heritage Committee Langston Heritage Many loyal and devoted organizations have contributed to Langston’s rich 74 year history and have now gathered as the Langston Heritage Committee to help Specialists Committee host this important celebratory event on June 8, 2013. - Foreball Golf Club - Langston Junior Boys & Girls Golf Club - Langston Ladies - Mason’s Army - Monday Morning Club - Nairobi - Oxon Blades (Past Members) Golf Heritage g Black - Postal Group Celebratin - Pro Du ers - Royal Golf Club - Sisters Who Swing If you’d like to join us on June 8th or participate as a - Tee to Green sponsor, please contact us so we can include you in this

- The First Tee of Washington, DC special celebration. John M. Langston - Wake-Robin Golf Club

Established 1939

Hosting a Celebratory

Louis Tate, Chair Historic Event Langston Heritage Committee Honoring Langston Golf Course & the Wake-Robin Golf Club, Langston Golf Course 2013 Inductees into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame 2600 Benning Rd NE Washington, DC 20002 June 8, 2013 Built in 1939, Langston Golf Course is on the (202) 397-8638 National Register of Historic Places and is [email protected] managed by Golf Course Specialists. Authorized Concessioner of the . LangstonGolfCourse.com v.4.5.13 inside right Masons army inside left middle LNG JR royals wake robins 1st Tee

The Royal Golf Club The Wake-Robin Golf Club Langston’s Youth In 1925, the all-black Riverside Golf Club was organized to promote play on the municipally owned Golf Course in Washington DC, which Established in 1991 by Felton Mason, opened on June 8, 1924. Some members split off Masons Army’s goal is to develop and operate a from this club six months after its formation to organize junior golf training program for boys and girls the Citizens Golf Club, which later changed its name in between the ages of 8-18 years old. Mason was 1927 to the Capital City Golf Club and in 1933 to the particularly interested in fostering economically Royal Golf Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. disadvantaged minority youth in the Washington,

DC area. Members of Mason’s Army do not pay With a burgeoning number of African American fees for training or for services rendered and are golfers in the city, Capital City/Royal Club began to adhere by guidelines established by the US advocating for expanded facilities and requested that Golf Association for Junior Golf Programs. the federal government (which operated all five golf Mason’s Army’s home has been established at courses in the city limits) construct a new 18-hole Langston Golf Course where hundreds of young course for Blacks to play. In 1927, John Langford, a people have gone through this prominent black architect in the city, petitioned the progressive program. federal government to build the course on the new . Over the next several years, African American golfers in the city and surrounding areas held rallies, attended hearings, wrote letters, and lobbied Congress and executive branch officials to build the An all-volunteer organization, Langston new course in Anacostia Park. Junior Boys & Girls Golf Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is located at the historic In 1934, government officials met with the Black Langston Golf Course in Northeast The Wake-Robin Golf Club, a 501(c)(3) non- golfing community, including members of the Royal Golf Washington, DC. Over 200 boys and girls profit organization, is the oldest Women’s African Club, and agreed to build the course in Anacostia Park. participate every summer from late June through American Golf Club in the United States. They were The first nine holes of Langston Golf Course were built August in Langston Junior’s programs. Langston founded by Helen Webb-Harris and twelve other in 1939. When it opened, the course was not in good Junior’s programs involve much more than just shape and some of the greens lacked grass. women in Washington, DC in 1937. Many of the learning the mechanics of golf; Langston’s Wake-Robin members were wives of the Royals Golf volunteer instructors teach participants valuable life The inadequate facilities at Langston led many Club, and the two clubs had very similar goals and lessons through the game. Formed in 1990 black golfers to continue to lobby for expansion of the purposes. course. attempted to play golf at the under the nationally based “Hook A Kid On Golf” all-white East Potomac Park Golf Course, Rock Creek In 1938, the Wake-Robin and Royal Golf Clubs program, the Langston Junior Boys & Girls Club Park Golf Course, and other all-white courses, but were pushed the process of desegregating the public golf became an independent organization in 1994. usually prevented from doing so. Black golfers courses in Washington, DC. by petitioning the continued to lobby, rally, and testify in favor of an Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes. Even though additional nine holes at Langston, until the back 9 was Langston Golf Course opened in 1939, making it the Since 1997, the First Tee, a 501(c)(3) constructed and opened in 1955. second course in Washington that people of color non-profit organization, has helped were allowed to play, Wake-Robin and the Royals shape the lives of more than 7 million continued to petition the Secretary until public young people from all walks of life by teaching courses were desegregated in 1941. them values like integrity, respect & perseverance

through the game of golf. The First Tee provides The Wake-Robin Golf Club is dedicated to educational programs that build character and “Preserving the Legacy” that its founders established promote healthy choices. There are 5,300 76 years ago. Currently, the organization has more elementary schools offering the First Tee National than 50 members consisting of working professionals, School Program. In 1999 the Washington, DC housewives and retirees. They have active members chapter was started at Langston Golf Course and ranging in age from early thirties to upper eighties has been so successful that they expanded to East with a well earned reputation for supporting and Potomac and Rock Creek Golf Courses to serve promoting golf for women. hundreds of children annually. v.4/9/13