The Shakespeare Club is the oldest literary club still active in Dallas today. It was organized in 1886 by a group of prominent Dallas women led by Mrs. J. T. Trezevant. They wanted to create a club "devoted to exercise...at once pleasant and constructive. Shakespeare will furnish the topic for discussion on such occasions."

At their first meeting on January 28, 1886, the members were not only studious but fashionable: "The handsome parlors easily accommodated the 40 ladies present. Many of the walking costumes were strikingly stylish, and all who read [excerpts from Shakespeare's plays] acquitted themselves creditably."

In 1949, the Club donated a large collection of materials documenting its history to the Historical Society. In the decades since, many more items have been added. The photo commemorates the Club's annual observance of William Shakespeare's birthday.

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The Dallas Shakespeare Club on the steps of the Dallas Country Club, April 27, 1911.
Silver gelatin photo.
A49.34
Gift of the Dallas Shakespeare Club.