Oklahoma City was the only Oklahoma Chapter, so Carol and Marquetta made several trips to Langston to discuss with Oklahoma City Chapter members, Sadie Washington and Dorothy Harrison, the possibility of a Tulsa Chapter. Links Harrison and Washington were personally encouraging and eventually the Oklahoma City Links agreed to sponsor the Tulsa Chapter, providing they approved the quality of membership.
With this encouragement and guided by Sadie Washington, Dorothy Harrison, and Allie Randolph – Carol and Marquetta included friends Marquerite Palm, Myrtle Elliott, and Anita Christopher. Together they held regular meetings once a month, paid $5.00 per month dues, and planned and discussed future memberships and details of the Link organization.
The Pals Club operated for two or three years before Oklahoma City Links advised that Tulsa submit five more names to total the membership to the ten needed for a new chapter. Anita Hairston, Frankie Taylor, Mae Kathryn Copeland, Lois McMillon, and Troy Tibbs were chosen.
Tulsa’s application was accepted by the National Assembly and on December 4, 1964, Dr. Anna Julian, National Vice President, and the Oklahoma City Links and Connecting Links came to Tulsa for a Link Workshop and a social fellowship with Tulsa Links and Connecting Links at the Mayo Hotel. On December 5, 1964, Tulsa Chapter was officially installed.
The officers elected were Carol Taylor, President; Marquerite Palm, Vice President; Mae Kathryn Copeland, Recording Secretary, Anita Christopher, Corresponding Secretary; Marquetta Haynes, Treasurer; Myrtle Elliott, Publicity; Anita Hairstonn, Historian and Frankie Taylor, Parliamentarian.
This new chapter furnished a room at the community Y.M.C.A.; sponsored Fine Arts Programs and Political Awareness Seminars; gave several educational scholarships; and organized “The Chainette Club” (made up of deprived girls from grades 6 thru 12), and introduced and provided Cultural experiences for them.
The Tulsa Links Chapter grew from 10 to 25 active members after 21 years of establishment. Since our inception the Tulsa Chapter of the Links, Incorporated has expanded. We continue to serve our community and carry on the rich tradition of The Links, Incorporated.
The Links, Inc. Founded
Tulsa (OK) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated
Members of The Links, Incorporated
Number of Local Chapters
Number of Tulsa Members
THE LINKS, INCORPORATED
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of African descent in 299 chapters in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Members of The Links, Incorporated contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually — strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.
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