Owl Club History is Colorado History

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Just being noticed and chosen by such a distinguished group.

 It gave me confidence. 

Being a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary and has become the largest professional journalism organization in the world. 

Signed while still in graduate school by the Denver Post I was the first Black woman to be hired by a major Colorado daily newspaper. During my 29 years at the Denver Post, I became the first Black woman to be sent to Washington D.C. to cover Congress and the White House. Later, thanks to my Masters in Dramatic Arts from University of California at Santa Barbara, became the Theater Critic and consequently, the first Black woman to become a member of the American Theater Critics Association.

In 1951, the first Owl Club debutante Ball was held at the Park Hill Country Club. It was the first such cotillion in the City and County of Denver. From 1951 through the current year, The Owl Club of Denver has been pleased to present over 1,000 of Denver's finest African American young ladies as Owl Debutantes.

Education has always been a high priority for the Owl Club membership. Recognizing the financial needs of many talented Owl Club Debutantes, William Kirk established the first Owl Club Scholarship Fund. Today, the Owl Club of Denver Scholarship Foundation annually awards scholarships to Debutantes who best meet the academic and financial requirements set up by the Foundation.

The Debutantes are selected on the basis of academic achievement, morals, character, leadership and outstanding community achievements. The young ladies are not presented on the basis of their parents' social status or economic background, but rather, are required to qualify on their own merits.