The American Society of Rio de Janeiro
The American Society of Rio de Janeiro has a long and distinguished existence, founded in 1917 as the planet was in the midst of the terrible conflagration of World War I and American soldiers were being sent to France. A group of American women in Rio got together to make bandages for the war effort; their husbands decided that the American community in this far-flung outpost needed a full-fledged organization to support the wives' initiative and maintain the American community united in a foreign city.
During the first 50 years of its existence, The American Society was in many ways, as the 50th anniversary Yearbook put it, "the unofficial arm of American foreign policy in Brazil."The late Rev. Wallace Williams — the AS president who presided over the 50th anniversary gala dinner-dance at the U.S. Embassy residency together with Ambassador John Tuthill — recalled a few years ago that "the president of The Society in those days was considered to be almost as important as the Ambassador himself. It was a very big deal."
In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, The Society congregated upwards of 800 American families and individuals of other nationalities who supported its goals. The sparse oral and written histories of the organization cite some major personalities who were responsible in the early decades for growing The Society into Rio's major foreign community organization: Amb. Edwin V. Morgan, who headed the U.S. diplomatic mission to Brazil from 1912 to 1933 and was a great backer of The Society; Dr. Hugh Clarence Tucker, a charismatic Methodist missionary in Brazil, one of the stalwarts for several decades; Joe Brown and Jim McLean, dedicated servers of the cause; and more recently but no less importantly, Luz Wright, who was the Society's tireless secretary in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
As it makes its way in the 21st century, The American Society of Rio de Janeiro has demonstrated, through good times and bad, constant and faithful respect to its founder's ideals, holding high the U.S. flag while promoting American ideals. It continues to be one of the most outstanding examples of a foreign community organization in Rio de Janeiro — or the world, for that matter.
Contact Information:
The American Society of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Tel: (21) 2125 9132
contact@amsocrio.org
www.amsocrio.org
AAC Member since September 2008
During the first 50 years of its existence, The American Society was in many ways, as the 50th anniversary Yearbook put it, "the unofficial arm of American foreign policy in Brazil."The late Rev. Wallace Williams — the AS president who presided over the 50th anniversary gala dinner-dance at the U.S. Embassy residency together with Ambassador John Tuthill — recalled a few years ago that "the president of The Society in those days was considered to be almost as important as the Ambassador himself. It was a very big deal."
In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, The Society congregated upwards of 800 American families and individuals of other nationalities who supported its goals. The sparse oral and written histories of the organization cite some major personalities who were responsible in the early decades for growing The Society into Rio's major foreign community organization: Amb. Edwin V. Morgan, who headed the U.S. diplomatic mission to Brazil from 1912 to 1933 and was a great backer of The Society; Dr. Hugh Clarence Tucker, a charismatic Methodist missionary in Brazil, one of the stalwarts for several decades; Joe Brown and Jim McLean, dedicated servers of the cause; and more recently but no less importantly, Luz Wright, who was the Society's tireless secretary in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
As it makes its way in the 21st century, The American Society of Rio de Janeiro has demonstrated, through good times and bad, constant and faithful respect to its founder's ideals, holding high the U.S. flag while promoting American ideals. It continues to be one of the most outstanding examples of a foreign community organization in Rio de Janeiro — or the world, for that matter.
Contact Information:
The American Society of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Tel: (21) 2125 9132
contact@amsocrio.org
www.amsocrio.org
AAC Member since September 2008
