Ne Plus Ultra Art and Literary Club (Topeka, Kan.)

On February 17, 1899, a group of women met at the home of Mrs. Ossie Fox; that group soon became known as the Ne Plus Ultra Art Club. The club was a local collective effort among African American women in Topeka, Kansas to promote unity and goodwill through domestic artwork and community service. After several years the name of the Club changed to Ne Plus Art and Literature Club, reflecting the women's desire to continually broaden their knowledge. Ne Plus was among the first African American women's clubs in Topeka, Kansas, to join the Kansas Federation of Colored Women's Clubs in 1900. Ne Plus also organized a Junior Ne Plus Ultra club for children, most of whose mothers were members of the adult Club. Artwork created by club members has earned praise over the years on both the local and state level.