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About Us
The Royal Esquire Club is a private African American men’s club in Seattle. It was founded in 1947 by five young men since there was not a welcoming venue in the city where black men could socialize. Rooms were available for civic and social clubs to meet. The Fir State Golf Club and the LaClique Club were two groups that met there on a regular basis. During the civil rights era, some leaders in the movement used The Royal Esquire Club to hold meetings and plot strategies.
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The founders were Doyle Barner, Frederick Bowmar, William Childress, Freddie Ray, and Joe West. In 1948 they held their first general assembly and elected officers: Leonard DuPree, president; Herb Jackson, secretary; Doyle Barner, vice-president; Troy Bowles, secretary; and Philip Burton (1915-1995). The initial by-laws were drafted by John Prim (1898-1961), a prominent attorney, who in 1954 became the first African American judge in Seattle. He submitted them to the Secretary of State and the club was chartered by the State of Washington on April 5, 1948.
For over 75 years, the Royal Esquire Club has sought ways to positively impact the community by feeding the homeless, providing scholarships to our youth and being a safe space for community engagement and connection.
Today the Royal Esquire Club is owned by its members and located at 5016 Rainier Avenue S in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. In 2011 the forward thinking members of the Royal Esquire Club decided to lease a portion of the building to what is now The Royal Room. An outstanding relationship continues with the 2 businesses operating independently with a joint mission to deliver amazing experiences to the neighborhood.
The Royal Esquire Club has continued its civic mission by creating the Royal Esquire Scholarship Fund a 501(c)3 Non-profit. The Royal Esquire Club regularly partners with local organizations that serve our most underserved and vulnerable communities. Through these partnerships, events and activities the Royal Esquire Club aims to be the centralized hub for entertainment and all things community.
