Go on Girl! Book Club, Inc.

The Go On Girl! Book Club has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1991. When founders Monique Greenwood, Lynda Johnson and Tracy Mitchell-Brown decided to turn their office chat about the latest offerings from Black authors into formal book discussions, they never imagined it expanding beyond their immediate circle of girlfriends.

At the end of the Club's first year, Evalyn Rose Hamilton relocated from New York to her native Washington, D.C., and the second chapter of the Go On Girl! Book Club was born. Since 1992, more than 30 chapters have sprung up across the country in much the same way -- started by former members relocating to new cities or by members' relatives and friends living in other or the same cities. Chapters are limited to 12 members to keep meetings intimate and manageable. There is no limit, however, to the number of chapters that can exist in a given city.

In 1995, the Club became a legally incorporated non-profit organization, and it currently boasts more than 300 members in cities across the country. Our members range in age from twentysomething to sixtyplus, and they have varied professional backgrounds and personal interests.

Currently the club's reading list is formed twice annually. The members read a book each month, meet to discuss it, and then write the author of the book to express their opinions about the work. The reading list is a study in variety and includes works in the following genres: Science-fiction/Futuristic/Fantasy, Biography/Autobiography, Mystery/Suspense, a Debut Novel, Classic Novel, Historical works, Social Commentary, short stories and foreign authors of color.

Key among the Club's goals is encouraging the continued publication of works by authors of African descent. The reviews to the authors and their publishing houses ensure the club's message is heard: "African-Americans do indeed read, so keep the quality books coming. This is not just a trend!"

The response the club received after being featured in a September 1995 Essence article reflects the high level of interest in reading among African-Americans. More than 300 women wrote the organization requesting information on becoming a member after reading the Essence piece. (And the letters and email keep coming!) To accommodate the requests, local chapters began holding informational mixers across the country in early 1996. The mixers continue, and the organization swelled from 12 in 1995 to more than 30 at present.