The Ebony Club and HAP

The Ebony Club's history is intricately and intimately tied to the Prep's Higher Achievement Program. This bond stems from the fact that many of the initial members of the Club participated in HAP as students and tutors. The Ebony Club's original Constitution stipulated senior members of the executive committee would run Winter HAP. Several Ebony Club members became HAP teachers after graduating from Prep.

The most important reason for the existence of this link between the Club and HAP, however, rests with the late Rev. John E. Browning, S.J.

Fr. Browning began Jersey City's HAP program in the summer of 1964. His dedication and enthusiasm for Jersey City's African-American, Latino, and other diverse communities permitted him to form life-long relationships with many of us who became students at St. Peter's.

Brownings decision to serve as moderator to the Club in 1973 simply extended his relationship with former HAP students.

Some of us loved FB's input and guidance, while others chafed from his occasional stubbornness.

In either case, FB helped us realize our vision of creating a club that allowed us to take pride in our contribution to the Prep community. Our scholarship fund-raising parties collected thousands of dollars and became the talk of Jersey City in the mid 1970s. This success let members show the other popular high schools that we had something to offer for the teen-aged social scene in JC.

You will find several HAP pictures throughout this site or on sites linked to our blog. Currently, we are setting up a wiki to house documents like the original Ebony Club Constitution, Ebony Club Purpose Statement, and articles about the club published in the school's newspaper. Of course we want to feature more pictures. Does anyone have pictures of folks wearing their Ebony Club tee shirts? Send in your pictures.