SEMO Civic & Social Club is gathering in Poplar Bluff this weekend to reminisce, picnic and unveil Garfield Historic District’s new marker. This year marks the 54th iteration of the SEMO Civic & Social Club Annual Celebration Poplar Bluff Days, kicking off Friday in the group’s home community.
The SEMO C&SC reunion is a time to “meet and greet” old and new friends, club members said.
Poplar Bluff Days’ success is “because we are a family from many, many different generations,” explained Deborah Tidwell of Fort Worth, Texas, one of this year’s organizers. “We have been close all of these years, so we just like to come back home. We enjoy each other’s company. We’re related in many, many ways. We’ve been doing this for quite a while.”
Other planning committee members are Lisa Dawson of Grand Prairie, Texas, Bettye Matthews and Laronda Spence, both of Poplar Bluff, and Lee James Gladney of Maryland. Dawson is chairman and Tidwell is co-chairman.
Plans for this year’s annual celebration are as follows:
- Let the Celebration Begin registration 1–4 p.m., Friday at the Holiday Inn, 2781 N. Westwood Blvd.
- Garfield Historic District sign unveiling, 3 p.m. Friday at Wheatley School, 830 Garfield St. The area around the Wheatley School has been designated federally as the Garfield Historic District. A sign recognizing the designation has been purchased and installed. Rex Rattler and the Wheatley School invite everyone to the unveiling.
- All White Party (Welcome Home champagne toast, hors d’oeuvre and more) will be 7 p.m.- midnight, Friday at the Knights of Columbus, 2280 Grand Ave.
- Picnic (food, door prizes, vendors and entertainment) 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Bacon Park, 1471 Harper St., all pavilions.
- Game Night (bonus event - free to all) 7 p.m.-midnight, Saturday at Wheatley School.
- Chic Red Carpet Affair (red carpet stroll, dinner, and dancing) 6 p.m. -midnight, Sunday at The Grotto, 3102 Aad Grotto Road.
In the group’s history, the event is described as “a celebration of the Black community in and around Southeast Missouri.”
The club originated when a group of Poplar Bluffians attended a friend’s funeral in 1966. While talking with classmates and friends about how good it was to see everyone and how well they had prospered, it was mentioned how sorrowful it was to only see each other on occasions like memorials. The idea was planted in their minds to get together once every year to “meet and greet.”
Van E. Murphy was asked to get the project under way by contacting other Poplar Bluffians, who might be interested in attending the first gathering in Detroit, Michigan on Labor Day. According to club records, her time was limited, so Alvin Magness went to Beloit, Wisconsin to assist her with the project.
Magness drove to six cities to meet with other Poplar Bluffians to encourage them to organize clubs within their cities. Other persons involved in the organization of the SEMO C&SC were George Hayes, Jean Hayes, Marble Kenney, Helen McQuerry, Pearl Martin, George F. Allman, Clarence R. Young, and a host of others.
The turnout the first year was fair due to the inconvenience for some, the club’s written history stated. It was suggested July 4 would be a better time to hold the reunion, because due to the holiday most businesses would be closed, and more people vacation around that time.
The first reunion in Poplar Bluff was held in 1968, sponsored by the originating members. However, the responsibilities of organizing the events were carried out by Ruth Crawford, Clarence E. Jones, William “Chink” Jordan, and Colvin R. McDonald.
While organizers may not have to make as many trips out of town now, they have to dedicate hours to collecting information, arranging schedules, orchestrating events and mobilizing the workers.
Planning for this event started in November 2022, Tidwell said.
“People like to come home,” Tidwell said. “They like it to be in Poplar Bluff. It’s less expensive to have it in Poplar Bluff. The amount of work is going to be the same. No matter where we have it, it’s the same amount of work.
“We did it in 2018 in Dallas and I was still working,” said Tidwell, who was a training manager for AT&T in Dallas/Fort Worth before she retired in December.
Dawson is a project manager. She works and has been an integral part of this group.
During a reunion in the early 2000s, the group decided the reunion would return home every two years.
COVID slowed down the gathering, but this year it is returning to Poplar Bluff. Tidwell pointed out all the group’s printed material says “53 years. It’s really 54. We got kind of backwards because of COVID.”
Other cities that have hosted the reunion include Detroit; Chicago; St. Louis; Beloit; Oakland; Kansas City, Missouri; San Francisco; New York; Atlanta; Gatlinburg; Los Angeles; Harvey; Poplar Bluff; and Dallas/Ft. Worth.
Posting a comment requires free registration:
Menu
