Illustrations by Oksana Krytska
On Sunday November 1, 1908, the Tacoma Daily Ledger ran a column on page 13 titled, “COLORED WOMAN’S CLUB GIVES PARTY.”
On the surface, this isn’t terribly unique. Newspapers of 100+ years ago would regularly publish articles about parties, dances, dinners, and other get-togethers that today would be considered entirely too personal for a newspaper. There are two very interesting things about this party, though.
First, it was being thrown by one of Tacoma’s most notable historical figures, Nettie Asberry. If you’re not familiar with that name, it’s worth taking some time and reading up on her. A few of her many accomplishments include being a founding member of the Tacoma chapter of the NAACP (the first chapter on the west coast), the Washington State Federation of Colored Women, and vocally and vehemently protesting the screening of Birth of a Nation in Tacoma during a time of revival for the KKK. She died in 1968 at 103 years old.
Her husband, Henry Asberry was also a well known part of Tacoma history. Henry operated the barber shop at the Tacoma Hotel and was the man to see for any visiting celebrities. Among his famous clients were Howard Taft and Mark Twain. He reportedly liked Twain better because Taft fell asleep in his chair. The Asberry home in Hilltop is now listed as a City Landmark.
The second interesting part of this column was the detailed description of the party itself from the night before. This is a direct transcript of the article (including antiquated spellings):
The Colored Woman’s Clover Leaf club, assisted by the junior set, gave a Hallowe’en party Friday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Asberry, 1219 South Thirteenth street. The reception parlors were appropriately decorated with leafless branches of trees to which were appended silhouettes of black paper cats, bats, owls and witches. Gilded nuts and strings of popcorn rubbed with phosphorous* were intertwined about the branches.
The dining room presented the most weird effect as the guests filed out at 11 p.m. to partake of the regulation Hallowe’en repast. All lights were turned off and only the quivering lights of the jack o’lanterns were permitted to burn. From the chandelier was suspended above the dining table a leafless branch of tree decorated, as were those of the parlors. The table cover was almost completely covered with silhouettes of red half-moons, black cats, witches riding a broom handle, etc. But the most merriment was caused by a big, blood-red full moon in the center of which was sketched the face of a man. Guests were told to guess whose face It was. Some said Roosevelt, some said Taft, others suggested Bryan and all the other presidential nominees, but one “wise” man who had seen the artist sketching the face correctly guessed the name of Booker T. Washington.
Much time was spent at the table in giving toasts and Hallowe’en quibs. The favors of the evening were won by Mrs. Hiram Moore and Mr. George Wallingford. The following program was carried out:
“The Haunted Spot” (piano)… Schumann
“Tam O’Shanter”… Warren
Mrs. Asberry.Reading, “The Haunted Oak”… Dunbar
Miss Goldsborough.Reading, “The Raven”… Poe
George Moore.Vocal, “Absent”… Metcalf
Miss Anderson.Reading, “The Fall of J. W. Beane”… Herford
R. W. Watts.Reading, “The Lost Mariner”… Dimond
Mrs. M. Quinn.Vocal, “Fleeting Days”… Bailey
“Violets”… Wright
Miss McRae.Reading, “Abou Ben Adhem”…Hunt
E. Tanner.Books bought. Cole’s, 767 South C st.
*As best as I can tell, the phosphorus they’re talking about here was used to make things glow, similar to what a glow stick might do today but with different chemicals. Depending on what other chemicals were mixed with it, it would’ve given off either a greenish or warm yellow glow. This was almost certainly toxic but the world was a very different place 116 years ago with a whole different set of concerns. If you have other information about this, feel free to share in the comments.
