Wake Robin: One of The First Golf Clubs For African American Women

Written by

Enid Gaddis

Published on

August 7, 2015
Blogblack golfer, Black History, golf, helen webb harris, pga, wake robin golf club, women golfer

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

Wake Robin Golf Club Members Circa 1940
Wake Robin Golf Club Members Circa 1940

On August 6, 1936, the Wake Robin Golf Club of Washington, D. C., was formed. It would be one of the first all-Black Women Golf Clubs in America. Thirteen women were present for the first meeting at the home of Helen Webb Harris. Each of the women who were founding members was married to an associate of Washington’s all-Black, all-male Royal Golf Club.   During this time, all but one of the public courses did not allow blacks to play on their courses. Most country clubs across America were not accessible to most people of color. The all black women’s club, named itself after the “wake robin” wild flower.

Wake Robin Flower
Wake Robin Flower

The golf club experienced quick success but was not without problems.  In 1938, the Wake Robin Club became an active in supporting desegregation of public golf courses. Due in part to their advocacy, in 1939, Langston Golf Course for black golfers was built on an abandoned trash dump. Langston is now an 18-hole public facility.

Wake Robin was also part of the movement to force the PGA to eliminate the “White-only” rule for eligibility to play in the PGA; which it did in 1961.

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