Lura Daniels-Ball
Wave Staff Report
LOS ANGEELS — For 75 years, Our Authors Study Club has been helping thecity of Los Angeles celebrate Black History Month.
Since its founding in 1945, the club has been dedicated to uplifting Black culture and literature, promoting the works of Black authors, scholars and artists, and fostering an environment of learning, inspiration and cultural pride.
The organization has played a pivotal role in curating events that honor the contributions of African Americans to the cultural, social and intellectual fabric of Los Angeles.
“Today, we acknowledge Our Authors’ Study Club’s 75 years of inspiring minds, preserving history and celebrating the richness of Black literature and culture,” Mayor Karen Bass said. “Our Authors’ Study Club was founded to pursue Carter G. Woodson’s vision of creating and disseminating knowledge about Black history across the nation, and the club’s dedication to education and empowerment has left an indelible mark on our community.
“I commend the members of Our Authors’ Study Club on honoring the past, embracing the present and shaping the future for generations to come.”
The Our Authors Study Club represents a powerful legacy in American cultural preservation and advancement. Founded in 1945 by Vassie Davis Wright and Terminal Annex postal employees, the organization emerged from a crucial need to document and celebrate African American literary and historical contributions.
Within months of its founding, Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History,” granted the club its charter as the Los Angeles Branch of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now ASALH).
Today, the club operates a comprehensive suite of programs that bring Black history and culture to life. Their signature initiatives include the Conversations for Change speaker series, which explores national themes through a Los Angeles lens, and the quarterly “An Afternoon With Authors” events that spotlight emerging and established Black writers. The Sankofa Speakers Bureau extends the club’s reach by providing expert speakers on Black history in Southern California.
The organization’s commitment to education manifests through substantial scholarship support, having awarded over $325,000 to more than 700 students. Its Carter G. Woodson Youth Oratorical Program, established in partnership with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, develops public speaking skills and historical knowledge in middle and high school students.
“For 75 years, Our Authors Study Club has uplifted Black history, turning voices into vision, labor into legacies, and knowledge into inspirations,” Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said.
The club’s influence extends beyond traditional historical preservation through cross-cultural partnerships with organizations like the LA Opera, Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center, and various multi-ethnic coalitions. Its annual citywide Black history celebration brings together thought leaders, academics, cultural institutions and community members for a month of engaging programs, including living legend recognitions, historical bus tours, and scholarly roundtables.
“As we mark 75 years of partnership with the city of Los Angeles … for the celebration of Black history in 2025, we honor those who transformed free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary labor into an extraordinary legacy,” saidLura Daniels-Ball, president of Our Authors Study Club. “Their hands built more than buildings — they constructed futures. Their voices reached beyond grievances to articulate visions of justice.”
“Our Authors Study Club has been a beacon of knowledge, advocacy and empowerment, preserving and celebrating the rich contributions of Black authors, scholars and historical figures,” said Daniel Tarica, general manager of the city Department of Cultural Affairs. “The club’s deep commitment to education, literature and civil rights has uplifted generations and has inspired countless individuals to understand and appreciate the importance of Black history.”
