Front row from left: Shrine Club President Emma Harris, Trustee Sylvester James, District Deputy Brenda Frame; middle row: Daughter Emily Pee, Daughter Ruler Sharon Bailey; back row: Medical Director Walter Parker M.D., Esteemed Lecturing Knight Michael Varnum, Historian Wayne Dabney, John Redmond, Esquire, and Exalted Ruler and CEO Michael Henry stand in the recreation area at the James L. Crawford Elks Lodge on Sunset Road.

The James L. Crawford Elks Lodge on Sunset Road has been a meeting place for numerous generations of men and women in Ann Arbor. The lodge is home base for the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks of the World Lodge no. 322 and its sister organization the Daughters of the Elks - Daisy Chain Temple no. 212.

The historically African-American, yet ethnically diverse, charitable organization has a long history of “doing community service with social flair,” says Exalted Ruler Michael Henry. But in the past few years, the lodge has become known for something else as well: hosting a variety of dance parties and similar events.

In a recent interview about the lodge, Henry was joined by Judge S.J. Elden, the lodge’s financial secretary and honorary member for the past 30 years; his wife, Odes Elden, a daughter in the Daisy Chain Temple; Dr. Walter Parker,, the lodge’s recording secretary and medical director; and Michael Varnum, a newer brother and lecturing knight.

As a private membership club, Ann Arbor’s IBPOEW Lodge is “meant for members and their guests” and it is not open to the public. However, the Brothers and Daughters have invited many guests to their lodge over the years for a wide range of fundraisers, holiday celebrations and other “community building” events. They have also invited a number of fellow community organizations to hold their meetings and fundraisers at the lodge. Over the years, the lodge has been the setting for many personal milestones likes birthdays, weddings, baby showers and funerals.

In recent history, Ann Arbor’s late night crowd has gotten wind of fundraisers and private parties happening in the basement recreation room. For about three or four years now, the Elks Lodge has been hosting local DJs and bands who play fundraisers and private parties.

But do not mistake the lodge’s basement for a nightclub. It is still a private membership club that prefers you know a member before randomly showing up.

“To the public, it may appear that it’s a public venue, but it’s not. However, we’ve tried to do more outreach to showcase the organization to more of the community. We do like having really fun parties and we know our parties probably do compete with some of the nightclubs downtown, but we don’t really want to compete with those places. Our events in the rec room have a specific community building nature to them,” Henry explains.

That does not mean that the Elks are likely to kick you out because they do not recognize your face. “When new people show up we have them sign into our guestbook and we try to get to know them, but we don’t particularly care for traffic off the street,” Henry says. In general, people are welcome to visit the lodge during events like fundraisers, just as long as you have a genuine interest in getting to know its members and learn about the organization.

Parker reminds that The IBPOEW is primarily “a charitable community organization. Our main focus is not recreation. It’s carrying out the main mission of the Elks, a national organization. Our main mission is to uplift the community and do public service,” he explains. Among the group's charitable efforts are sponsoring a high school oratorical contest; taking high school students on college tours; and direct aid (food, clothing, etc.) to families in need.

Hosting social events is only part of what they do as a charitable non-profit organization. However, that does not discount the impact that all of their different types of social gatherings have had on Ann Arbor’s social life over the last century.

Varnum, one of the lodge’s younger members, says hosting parties in the rec room has been “a good tool for recruitment.” That is how he got acquainted with the Elks. “I joined a little over a year ago. I started hanging out and getting to know some of the members. After a while, they invited me in, so that’s how I got involved. Initially, the motivation was mostly social. I like the sense of camaraderie and brotherhood and I also saw possibilities for what this organization can accomplish as a progressive force for good in Ann Arbor,” he explains.

Doing new rec room events in recent years “happened organically,” according to Henry. “It’s really hard to start talking about what we are doing now without looking over the 100-plus years that the organization has been developing.”

Brothers and Daughters pose in a meeting room at the Sunset Road lodge.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

The social history of the IBPOEW began in the 1890’s, when two African American pullman porters on the railroad in Cincinnati came across some ritual books for The Benevolent Protective Order of Elks (BPOE). At the time, social life was racially segregated for the most part. Fraternal and social organizations were predominantly a part of white American society, and such groups did not let black people join. The two pullman porters, Arthur James Riggs and Benjamin Franklin Howard, decided to establish their own distinct Elks organization in 1898 and thus named it the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks of the World (IBPOEW), often known as the Black Elks.

“The story I know is that they found (the ritual books) on the train and were fascinated by the ritual and such. They had a desire to join, but (places like members-only clubs) didn’t want anything to do with them because of the racial tone of the time,” Judge Elden explains.

When the Ann Arbor chapter of the IBPOEW was founded in 1937, originally located on North Fourth Avenue downtown, the racial climate in Ann Arbor was changing. However, people were still segregated in many different ways.

“African American weren’t necessarily allowed or welcomed other places throughout the city. The lodge was one of the spots where they could always go and feel welcome. The generation of Elks from the '40s through the '70s would hold parties all the time. The members would spend a lot of time socializing and partying together at the lodge. It was a way for them to be involved in the community,” Henry says.

Hence the organic growth of “community building” events at the Elks Lodge. Henry says that “three or four years ago a bunch of non-profits and different people started asking us if we would be open to hosting their events in the basement. They would ask; would you be open to us doing a fundraiser here, hosting a DJ or band, or doing something like a cook-out?” he recalls. Hosting rec room events ended up being an opportunity for the lodge to engage people and organizations that take an active interest in them.

Elks Lodge rec room regulars include DJ Brian Tomsic of WCBN radio, DJ and musician Jamie Register, and two reoccurring parties. DJ OrNate and Buster Lagosie throw" Electric Marmalade" and DJ’s Forest Juziuk, Robert Wells and Geoff Parin throw "Jury Duty" events.

Tomsic spins “Funky Kingston” Reggae nights every third Friday of the month. “I like the smallness and intimacy of the Elks Lodge. I like that it doesn’t try to appeal to a mainstream crowd. The people putting on shows there are always doing something that’s eclectic and funky,” he says.

He thinks the Elks Lodge is a perfect fit for him as a DJ: “My idea and their enthusiasm met. It’s been a successful night.”

Parker has been busy preparing for the forth installment of their “Black History Recognition and Award Luncheon,” which will be held at the Holiday Inn today at noon. The event will feature a keynote speaker, a recognition awards ceremony and musical selections from classically trained opera singer Jason Brown. Tickets are available to anyone who would like attend, by calling (734) 274-9133.

The lodge is located at 220 Sunset Road on Ann Arbor's near northwest side. You can find out more information about Elks Lodge events on Facebook.

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