About/Join
February 22nd, 2005 1:00 pmWhen & Where | Join | About the meetings | 2005 Officers & Board of Directors | An Historic Sketch of the IDC | Noted Members: Present & Past
We meet the 4th Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm at:
Julia Carson Government Center
300 E. Fall Creek Parkway
2nd Floor
Dues ($15 / year) are not necessary to come to our meetings, but are necessary to vote or hold club office.
(Coming soon - print an application and mail it in)
About our meetings: The Indiana Democratic Club serves many functions when it meets monthly. They include:
- Bringing in guest speakers to give lectures or presentations to our members on wide ranging subjects from local political initiatives, social issues and international policy issues.
- Working and organizing in support of local candidates for office at all levels of government
- Finding volunteers for all levels of help needed, especially for election day volunteers and poll workers.
- Forming contacts and relationships to strengthen the Democratic community in Indiana.
But we need your help to make this work. Come join us and be a part of the nuts and bolts of the Indiana Democratic Party!
- 2005 Officers
- President: Ken Kern
- 1st Vice President: Eileen Collins
- 2nd Vice President: Rosemary Vandivier
- Secretary: Cheryl Kern
- Treasurer: David Williams
- Sergeant-At-Arms: Robert Jackson
- Parliamentarian: Abraham Millman
- Webmaster: Jason Borneman
- 2005 Board of Directors
- Chair: Cheryl Kern
- Secretary: Eileen Collins
- Steve Barnett, Bertha Binford, Jason Borneman, G. David Caudill, Hon. Carl Drummer, Hon. George Farley, Kate Hinman, Martin Hinman, Nancy Holle, Suzanne Jackson, Ken Kern, Ron King, Doug Leatherbury, Jim Maley, Abraham Millman, Steve Nicewanger, Ossie Pryor, Willie Pryor, Hon. Larry Ryan, Craig Smirth, Gary Taylor and Steve Wolfe
The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc.: An Historic Sketch
by Steve Barnett
American political clubs have a heritage as old as the Republic. The fundamental philosophical differences among our nation’s founders were reflected in the organization and membership of the Tammany Society and of the Cincinnatus Society.
Over the past 200 years, many clubs were formed and flourished briefly during presidential election campaigns. One such Indiana club was the Central Democratic Club which was organized in the spring of 1844 to advance the presidential aspirations of Martin Van Buren “or whoever was the nominee.”
The political club movement developed in earnest during the 1880s. In honor of the Indiana governors Thomas Hendricks and Isaac P. Gray, Democrats organized the Hendricks-Gray Club to assist in the political campaigns. Evolving from the late 19th Century Democratic social organization, The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. was incorporated on February 12,1901 by 82 prominent Democrats to promote “hope and harmony” among adherents to the party within the State.
In the words of its charter, The Indiana Democratic Club was formed “. . . to establish and maintain an association for literary and scientific purposes . . . with special references to the advancement of the science of political economy and of politico-legal historical criticism form the standpoint of the Democratic Party, and thereby encourage and promote absolute and unconditional loyalty to the Democratic Party; secure honesty, efficiency and economy in the administration of government; and effect an organization which shall, by social and political contract, foster a spirit of harmony and fraternity among all Democrats.”
Since its inception, The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. has counted many noted Hoosiers among its membership. The Club’s first President, John W. Kern, established a strong philosophical foundation upon which the club has flourished. John W. Kern, known as the Hoosier Progressive had a public career that spanned nearly 50 years of service in elected and appointed offices, including Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1908. He was twice nominated for Governor of Indiana and he represented the State in the United States Senate from 1911 to 1917. He served as Senate Majority Leader during President Wilson’s term.
The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. obtained general recognition during its second decade as a state wide organization under the Presidency of Fred E. Barrett. He gave his time, his study and his effort in promoting the Club, In addition to this work, Barrett served as Marion County Democratic Chairperson and Indianapolis’ City Attorney.
The success of the women’s suffrage movement provided new opportunities in the political life of Indiana and in the activities of the Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. Julia E. Landers, the first woman to serve on an Indiana precinct election board, served in turn as a club officer. She was elected by the membership to the position of Second Vice President. After Landers’ service to the club, Alice F. McClulloch, Isabel Remster, Mayme Slack, and Alice F. Mullin were elected, in turn to this office. These and other advocates for women’s equality assisted the club through most of the 1920s.
After sharing in the successful two decades of Democratic Party governance, The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. fell upon difficult times at mid-century. Largely through the counseling and guidance of Lawrence J, Sexton, the club experienced a resurgence that carried it forward into the 1960s. Sexton was elected to seven consecutive terms as Club President and he was honored in 1961 as Mr. Indiana Democrat.
Shortly after Sexton’s death in 1965, Ed Warren became the Club’s President. He guided the organization for nearly a decade as it experienced the adjustments resulting from the loss of Democratic party control at the local, state and national levels.
Today, The Indiana Democratic Club, Inc. is building for the future. It offers for all Democrats a social framework rich in the history and tradition of the Democratic Party. The current President, Ken Kern, has been elected to thirteen consecutive terms.
Noted Members: Present & Past
Tom Alevizos, State Representative
Taylor Baker, former Judge, Marion Superior Ct.
Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator; former Governor & former Secretary of State
Charles Boswell, former Mayor, Indianapolis
Linda Brown, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Precious “Pat” Byrd, Marion County Recorder
Paul Cantwell, State Representative
Thomas Carroll, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Julia Carson, U.S. Congressperson, 10th District; former Center Township Trustee (Marion County); & former State Senator
Barbara Collins, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Ann Christ, Commissioner, Marion Superior Court
John Christ, former Judge, Marion Municipal Court
Lonnell “King Ro” Conley, City County Councilman (Marion County)
John Day, State Representative
Charles Deiter, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Mae Dickinson, State Representative
John Dillon, Indiana Attorney General & Commander, 38th Infantry Division
David Dreyer, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Carl Drummer, Center Township Trustee (Marion County)
Patrick Endsley, Judge, U.S. District Court
Richard Feldman, M.D., former Indiana State Health Commissioner
Ron Gibson, City County Councilman (Marion County)
Evan Goodman, Judge, Marion Superior Court
John Hanley, Judge, Marion Superior Court & former Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commissioner
Grant Hawkins, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Karen Horseman, former City County Councilwoman (Marion County)
Andrew Jacobs, Jr., former U.S. Congressman
Z. Mae Jimison, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Marvin Johnson, Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion
Julia E. Landers, Pioneer for Women’s Suffrage and First Woman to serve on an Indiana PrecinctElection Board
Paula LoPossa, Judge, Center Township Small Claims Ct. (Marion County) & former Judge, Marion Superior Ct.
Jane Magnus-Stinson, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Jim Maley, Center Township Assessor (Marion County)
Mercer Mance, former Judge, Marion Superior Court
George J. Marott, Philanthropist; Owner, Marott Shoe Store; & Proprietor, Marott Hotel
Patrick McCarty, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Frank E. McKinney, Financier & Former Democratic National Chairperson
Meredith Nicholson, Author
Frank O’Bannon, Governor, State of Indiana
Judy O’Bannon, First Lady, State of Indiana
Bart Peterson, Mayor, Indianapolis
Becky Pierson-Treacy, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Tanya Walton Pratt, Judge, Marion Superior Court
John Price, former Judge, Marion Superior Court
Henry J, Richardson, Jr., Civil Rights Leader & First Black Indiana Jurist
Louis Rosenberg, Magistrate, Marion Superior Court
Joanne Sanders, City County Councilwoman (Marion County)
Richard Sallee, former Judge, Marion Superior Court
David Shaheed, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Mark Stoner, Judge, Marion Superior Court
Reginald H. Sullivan, former Mayor, Indianapolis
Tom Taggart, former Mayor, Indianapolis; former U.S. Senator; & Developer, French Lick Hotel
George Taylor, Mayor, Princeton
Robert V. Welch, Developer
Charles S. White, Judge; Indiana Court of Appeals
Robert Williams, former Mayor, Shelbyville
Robin Winston, Chair, Indiana Democratic Party
Gerald Zore, Judge, Marion Superior Court