The Fellas Social Club, Inc. was originally established in 1963, and was the creation of Charles Dilworth, who owned a successful catering business in Harlem, and Wiley Simmons, associate advertising manager for Ebony Magazine.
The name “Fellas” was a reference to Charles Dilworth’s frequent use of the word to refer to his close friends and associates. Dilworth and Simmons both agreed to choose five friends each, for a total of twelve founding members.
FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE FELLAS
Vernon Baker, M.D.
Carnie Bragg, Sr.
Bennie W. Chiles Jr., M.D.
Charles Dilworth
Herbert Evans, Esq.
Ted Green
Garrett Obey
Jay Scott
Norman Simmons
Wiley Simmons
Robert Watson
Jesse Walker
Wiley Simmons served as the first president of the Fellas, and as he wrote in 1966: “I began to envision a coterie of gentlemen, who while diverse in professional or occupational interests, could possibly enjoy themselves on a high social level”.
The group originally held monthly meetings, celebrated birthdays together, and entertained each other and their families. Eventually, they began to hold events to entertain friends to whom they felt they had “social obligations”. The first such event was held in May, 1964, a black-tie dinner-dance at the St. Regis Hotel Roof Garden, a first at the time for an African-American organization. The black-tie affairs became an annual event, and eventually migrated to December as a Christmas celebration. Other Fellas activities through the years have included casual summer dance parties, golf/tennis outings, and trips to locations such as Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, various Caribbean Islands, and Mexico. In the 1970’s, the Fellas established their College Scholarship Fund to aid qualified and needy students in their pursuit of higher education. The Fund continues to thrive today, celebrated in our annual June Luncheon.
As was written early on: “There is among the Fellas a strong feeling of brotherhood, non-competitiveness, and striving for improvement and perfection. These feelings are not written into any credo or mouthed as our doctrine.” – they are inherent in any man who is selected to be a Fella.
