History of Lebanon African American United Service Organization (U.S.O.) Club

History of Lebanon African American United Service Organization (U.S.O.) Club. . A campaign to establish the U.S.O. in the Fort Leonard Wood area began in March of 1941. As the military was still segregated, plans called for separate clubs for Caucasian and African American soldiers. Space for a Caucasian U.S.O. club was secured in the Knights of Pythias hall in Rolla. In August of 1941, Ruth Chambers, Young Women's Christian Association director of Fort Leonard Wood and Sara Long, African American U.S.O. director, attempted to establish an African American club in Rolla. However, no landlord would rent them space for an African American club. Mrs. Long relocated to Lebanon where she established an African American U.S.O. in a tent one mile east of town. Subsequently, land was purchased in Old Town in Lebanon and the government erected a building for the African American club. It was the first U.S.O. building dedicated in the area. The Lebanon African American U.S.O. was closed in 1942 and the land was given to the community. It was then used as the William T. Vernon Colored School until it closed in 1958. , Courtesy of Primas, Terry (2005) , Donated by: St. Robert Historical Preservation Committee, Inc. (2023)