The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, abbreviated BPOE and carved above the main door of this building was a charitable and social club popular in American cities. Founded in 1868 by actors wanting to avoid New York’s drinking laws, the Elks soon spread across many American cities. Unfortunately, the Elks Club initiated only white males, even after women were granted the right to vote in 1920 and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1964. Not surprisingly, the exclusivity of the Elks Club encountered greater difficulty after Newark became a predominantly black city in the 1960s. This club later moved to the predominantly white suburbs of West Orange and its home in Newark at 35 Green Street was replaced by a municipal parking lot.