Historic Club Continues to Fund Scholarships and Support Local Families
Generations of community-building by the Philomathean Charity Literary and Art Club will be honored Tuesday with a public plaque unveiling and celebration in Santa Monica.
The“Lifting As We Climb: Celebrating the Philomathean Club” event is set for December 9, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. A historic plaque will be unveiled at 1802 Broadway, followed by a community gathering at 1639 18th Street. Organizers say walk-ins are welcome, and attendees can simply show up.
Founded in 1921 by a group of Black women, many of them domestic workers, the Philomathean Charity Literary and Art Club began as a mutual aid effort, with members pooling money and organizing fundraisers. Their work created a vital source of support for Black community members who were systematically denied opportunities because of racism.
In 1958, the Philomatheans purchased land at 1810 Broadway to construct a meeting hall and develop retail space. The property remains in the club’s hands today and now houses a Black-owned barbershop and The First School, an early childhood education center. Rental income from those tenants funds scholarships that help neighborhood high school graduates pay for college for up to four years.
Landmark status for the Philomathean site was secured through a Community Development Grant from the City of Santa Monica, formally recognizing the club’s historic and ongoing contributions to the community.
