The Columbia Luncheon Club (CLC)
The Columbia Luncheon Club meets on the first Friday of each month with a diverse group of men and women from a cross-section of the community. The membership is free and open to persons from all faiths, cultural backgrounds, and ethnicities. The goal of the organization is to promote good will, racial understanding, frank dialogue, and tolerance while enjoying a meal together.
The Columbia Luncheon Club grew out of the efforts of local citizens desiring to help Columbia make a peaceful and meaningful transition from a legally segregated society to an integrated community. In the early 1960s when blacks and whites could not meet in a social setting for lunch, then USC President Dr. Thomas F. Jones, SC Senator Hyman Rubin, Columbia Mayor Lester Bates, Attorney Lincoln Jenkins and other concerned citizens met at the University of South Carolina. These persons formed the core group that eventually became known as the Columbia Luncheon Club. The Community Relations Council was formed a few months later with similar ideals and purposes.
The CLC continues today with discussions and activities that address the myriad of issues that impact the Midlands while promoting fellowship and a sense of community among its members.
