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History

HONORING OUR LEGACY

Thirty-Nine Years of Friendship and Service

The San Francisco Chapter of The Links, Incorporated was chartered September 23, 1950. The place of the chartering, held jointly with the Oakland Bay Area Chapter, was the Room of the Dons, at the Mark Hopkins Hotel on historic Nob Hill in San Francisco. Hortense Thomas was the organizer and the first chapter president. The other charter members were Alice Butler, Lolita Coleman, Willa Evans, Amelia Farmer, Jackieline Goosby, Vivian Hambrick, Inez Henderson, Lillian Nixon, Mabel Sanford, Julia Smith, Mildred Stephens, Mary Stewart, Thelma Toms and Maude White. Jacqueline Smith, Platinum member of the chapter and our last surviving charter member, was the 1952 General Convention Chair of the Fourth National Assembly held at the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco.

SERVICE AND RECOGNITION THROUGH THE DECADES

The Arts, International Trends & Services, National Trends & Services, Health and Human Services and Services To Youth

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Through the decades, the San Francisco Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, has been committed to improving and enhancing the quality of life of the community by awarding scholarships to deserving youth and supporting such organizations as: African American Historical and Cultural Society, United Negro College Fund, Jalani House, Edgewood Youth and Family Programs, Youth Docent Ambassadors Program at the deYoung Museum, Museum of the African Diaspora and the Lorraine Hansberry Theater.

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1950-1969

  • Contributed therapeutic and recreational equipment to the Cerebral Palsy School

  • Created Junior Leadership Program for gifted minority youth

  • Hosted public events for Louis Lomax and Coretta Scott King

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1970-1989

  • Hosted public forums to raise awareness of critical issues, featured Alex Haley, Julian Bond, General Daniel “Chappy” James and C.Delores Tucker

  • Partnered with Western Addition YWCA in providing service for pre-teen girls

  • Implemented Project Lead High Expectations at George Washington Carver Elementary School

  • Hosted King Tutankhaman at the M.H. deYoung Museum and co-sponsored the Women of Courage photography exhibit

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1990-2019

  • Implemented Award winning “Responsibility Begins With Me” umbrella program at the Western Addition YWCA

  • Hosted opening reception and showing of Henry Ossawa Tanner Exhibition at the M.H. deYoung Museum featuring Links as docents

  • Hosted the Building a Literacy Legacy Luncheon featuring authors Terry McMillan, Nathan McCall, BeBe Moore Campbell and Ralph Wiley, and introduced the “Art in Fashion” by featuring local African American television personalities

  • Implemented Annual Donor Sabbath Program in collaboration with the California Transplant Donor Network and Kaiser Permanente African American Health Initiative

  • Focused on Health and Wellness in Bayview Hunters Point community in collaboration with Arthur H. Coleman Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente African-American Health Initiative and Bayview YMCA

  • Partnered with the Bayview YMCA Just 4 Girls Program

  • Recipient of the Excellence in Health Linkage Award

  • Worked with Bayview Hunters Point/Bayview Opera House on Children’s Literacy Day and Earth Day Event

  • Recipient of Board of Supervisors Award for outstanding dedication and commitment to community service

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