The following story appeared in the Park Labrea News and Beverly Press 70th Anniversary issue, published April 21. To view the entire issue, click here.

Setting a foundation for women’s empowerment, the Ebell of Los Angeles has enriched women’s lives since it was founded in 1894 by the Parsons Sisters in their downtown cottage. The club was named after Adrian John Ebell, a German educator and staunch proponent of education for women at the time.

The Ebell is looking for younger women to join their philanthropic club. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Known as the Misses Parsons, the sisters believed education is a right and women, who were excluded from universities in the late 1800s, should have the resources needed to expand their education. The club initially formed study groups and distributed educational materials. The membership flourished, numbering around 2,500 in the early days.

In the early 1920s, the leadership began looking for a larger home and settled on an undeveloped parcel at the corner of Wilshire and Lucerne boulevards. The 70,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance-style building was constructed in 1927, and the club began operating much in the same way it does today.

“I think we have still had the same mission over the years that was established by the original founders. It was service, philanthropy and education,” said Laura Cohen, director of membership for the Ebell of Los Angeles. “The club served the purpose of educating them, it served as a social center and was a center for philanthropy in helping the community.”

The Wilshire Ebell Theatre, adjacent to the club’s building, was built with 1,270 seats as a venue for musical performances and academic lectures – a role it still serves today.

The Ebell of Los Angeles’ building features an art salon and study rooms where women did research and made presentations.

(photo by Edwin Folven)

“The Ebell art salon was the first real art gallery in Los Angeles when the building opened,” Cohen said. “We still have programs addressing history the same way, whether it’s L.A. history or larger history.”

One of the most famous speakers at the Ebell of Los Angeles, aviator Amelia Earhart, spoke at the club about her adventures flying around the world on April 7, 1937. No one could have known it would be one of her last public speaking experiences. Earhart – the famed pilot who was the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – disappeared on July 2, 1937 over the Pacific Ocean during an attempt to circumnavigate the world.

Another famous female icon performed at the club as a child.

“My understanding is Judy Garland was discovered on the stage of the Ebell Theater,” Cohen said. “As a child, she had a lot of performances here.”

Philanthropy was a big part of the club’s mission, and during World War II its members sprang into action. The club supported the Red Cross with blood drives and held dances for soldiers on leave or returning home from overseas.

“Everyone wanted to do something to help,” Cohen noted, adding that the club’s terrace was covered during the war so it was blacked out to enemy aircraft.

The Ebell’s educational and philanthropic programs continued over the following decades, but membership diminished. At one point, the club’s membership was in the low hundreds, Cohen said.

Increasing membership has been at the forefront of the Ebell’s mission. Cohen said their goal is to bring the number back to 500.

“That’s a milestone, because we haven’t [achieved] 500 for a while,” she added. “We are doing a lot of outreach. We are trying to promote the Ebell as timeless and timely. It’s not just the wonderful history. We do programs on current affairs, issues of Los Angeles and issues of the world.”

The Ebell held a program in February for Black History Month with author Susan D. Anderson, who has written about the history of African American families in Los Angeles. In January, the club held a dinner with Italian winemakers who shared their expertise. Other recent programs include a discussion on women in film.

“The programs are things that are pertinent and of interest to women,” Cohen said. “I organized a screening of a movie on feminism in the 1960s. On May 9, we will have a speaker on stunt women and their untold Hollywood story.”

The Ebell leases its iconic building for filming and special events such as weddings, corporate meetings and community gatherings. In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama spoke before a packed house at the Ebell Theater during a re-election campaign event for Sen. Barbara Boxer.

The Greater Wilshire neighborhood council and Wilshire Rotary also meet in the building. The money raised from private events goes directly toward philanthropy and educational events. The Ebell of Los Angeles grants more than $100,000 each year to women’s charities. More than $100,000 in scholarships are provided annually for students. Ebell members also hold a monthly potluck at Alexandria House, a women’s shelter, and support Helen’s Room at Good Samaritan Hospital, which helps women diagnosed with cancer.

Cohen said the Ebell plans to continue serving the community and will remain dedicated to its founding mission. She encouraged all women who want to become more involved with the community come see what the Ebell has to offer.

“We are always welcoming new members,” she said. “When you join the Ebell, you make a lot of friends. You are part of something, you are part of Los Angeles history. And hopefully, you’ll be part of its future.”