::RICHARD C. GORDON, Esq., (N.J.) INSTALLED AS THE 26TH PRESIDENT
Thank you for visiting our web site. The West Indian Social Club (WISC or Club) is the largest organization of its kind in North America. This year marks the organization’s 60th year in existence, and the members will celebrate this milestone with a gala event at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, Connecticut on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The keynote speaker for the event is the Hon. P.J. Patterson, former Prime Minister of Jamaica.
On May 1, 2010, the organization will be celebrating its 60th year in existence. This event will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, Connecticut. The event will mark our celebrating the achievements of fifteen awardees and the keynote speaker will be the Hon. P.J. Patterson, as mentioned above. The evening promises to be a memorable occasion and the price for each ticket are $100.00. The organization hereby requests the honor of your presence for the evening, and urges you to purchase your tickets early as demand is great and tickets are limited.
Our annual Celebration Week will begin on Thursday, August 5, 2010 and culminate on Saturday, August 14, 2010. Come out and celebrate the week with us and be on the lookout for additional information in the coming months. On Behalf of the officers and members, we thank you for your continued support
The organization’s current president Richard C. Gordon, Esq., (N.J.) was installed in January 31, 2010. Richard is local attorney (Law Office of Gordon and Russell, LLC) who is admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, the 2nd and 3rd Circuit Courts of Appeals (N.Y and Philadelphia) as well as the United States District Courts of Connecticut and New Jersey. Mr. Gordon has tried and won jury trials in both the civil and criminal contexts. Richard is a graduate of the University of Hartford School of Arts and Sciences with a major in Economics and minors in Political Science and Philosophy.
:: WISC
2010 BOARD MEMBERS (Picture Pending)
West
Indian Social Club 2010 Board Members
On January
10th 2010, the members of the WISC elected a new slate of
officers for the ensuing term. Following are the Officers
who are ready, willing and able to serve.
Mr.
Richard Gordon ESQ. (NJ)
- President
Mr.
Anthony Williams
- 1st Vice
President
Mr.
Valmore Stewart
- 2nd Vice
President
Ms. Dorrie Feliciano
-
Secretary
Ms. Felicia Brown
- 1st Asst.
Secretary
Ms. Dorothy Garrow
- 2nd
Asst. Secretary
Mr. Edward Clark
- Correspondence
Secretary
Mr.
Herbert A. Masters
- Treasurer
Mr. Kaniel Williams
-
Assistant Treasurer
Mr. Errol Mesquita
- Financial
Secretary
As we continue throughout
the year, we ask for your support. Each one of us, and
Collectively, will work hard to make this club continue to
be a success
The club was founded in 1950 by Caribbean men who came to the United States to work primarily as farm workers. Many of these men came to the United States under a program called “The Acme Program,” which was intended to add to the shortage of available men in the US labor force due to WWII. These men recite tales of racial discrimination resulting from their various encounters with the local populace, as well as their employers. As the story goes, on one occasion, “a small group of these men went out for drinks and were met with hostile words and stares. Although they were allowed to drink, the bartender broke each glass as they finished their drink.” On this particular night, this group of proud and defiant men decided in their own way to strike a blow for equality in treatment for black men in their community, by drinking that night until all the glasses in the establishment were shattered by the bartender. Only then did they leave the establishment. Similar experiences lead these men to contemplate forming their own organization. As they term it, “to create their home away from home.” This simple idea therefore formed the catalyst for the formation of the West Indian Social Club sixty years ago. Today, this proud organization is still considered “a home away from home” for many West Indians.
The West Indian Social Club is a private organization dedicated to serving its community. Though the legal entity-WISC is private, the organization promotes various free events during the year in furtherance to and for the benefit of the larger community. Many of these events are promoted specifically for children by the club, as well as through the West Indian Foundation.
