Ralph Dowe was not only a "Club kid" in the 1950s but a professional with the Indianapolis organization from 1969 until his retirement in 2002. In the course of this interview, Dowe gives some insight to segregated black Clubs in the South and the early African American professional leadership of Walter Bess.

Ralph Dowe was born on July 20, 1942 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Growing up in Wilmington in the 1940s and 1950s, Dowe was fortunate to have available a segregated Boys Club facility (the Community Boys Club) led by a prominent African American professional in the Movement, Walter Bess.

"From my vantage point, the Community Boys Club was very unique. It was a home away from home. We had a lot of professionals that really, really cared. They spent their entire life working in the Club with the youngsters in the community.

"The thing that made the Community Club standout was that we had a leader named Walter Bess. He was a visionary. He would always try to bring in creative and innovative programs to help the youngsters in the neighborhood. He was a guru. He was well known throughout the Carolinas and the Boys & Girl Club Movement. He was a heck of a person. He committed his entire life to the Boys Club. He was able to sustain that Club all those years, despite having a lean budget...The man was really before his time. Lou Dantzler is a man who reminds me of Walter Bess."

The Community Boys Club survives today serving youth from many ethnic groups. But the early Club started in the 1930s, struggled to stay afloat and received much of its funds from the local black community.

"They received money from the United Way. At that time, it was called the Community Chest. The Community Club always had to struggle to generate revenue mainly because it was primarily supported by the black community. But there were few other individuals (white community members) that saw the need to help the Club out."

After graduating from college, Dowe began his career in the Movement when he moved to Indianapolis. His commitment to the youth and families of all races kept him there until his retirement in May 2002.

"When I came to Indianapolis to go to Law School, I felt compelled to get involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs. And that relationship lasted 32 years. I began the Gorham Club in 1969 [as a physical director]. From the Gorham, I went to the Southside [as a program director]. I stayed at the Southside Club for a couple of years. In the Spring of 1972, I started at the 1000th Club, the Wheeler Club [as a director] and stayed there until May 2000.

"Well, I felt compelled to do this. It was a commitment. I was so connected to the community. It was just like a family because I knew just about everybody in the community. I felt like that was my mission. That's why I stayed so long."

In contemplating his over 30 years of service to one community, Dowe felt the highlights of his career were the interaction with fellow professionals and seeing the results of his work.

"To me, the most important highlight was to interact with fellow professionals. There were so many people out there willing to help nurture your skills... listen to you when you got done. Primary example, Lou Dantzler has been one of my biggest role models... Carl Andrews... They would always listen when you got down and always supported you. And that was the type of thing that kept me around.

"Primary example, I could get on the phone and call Kansas City or call Chicago and talk to a fellow professional. This professional would really help you. Also, when we started the Concerned Professionals Association, that also lengthen my career, because I had another network of individuals to help stimulate me and help renew me to stay within the organization.

"Another thing that was so renewing was to see the outcome. To see youngsters come through the Club and to do so well and then come and give back. You could measure the effort of your work by youngsters doing well and coming back and saying thank you."

According to Dowe, the personal success of African American professionals was in large part due to their attitudes and response to personal challenges, especially issues of race.

"I was the first, full-time African American professional in the Indianapolis Club. I was well accepted despite the color of my skin. I guess I was an outgoing person. Anytime I encountered anything negative, I looked at those things as being challenges and opportunities to do better. It made me more determine to excel and work more for young people."

A good attitude and a strong sense of self could not compensate for a lack of opportunities for Black professionals. Dowe felt this lack of opportunities was the greatest challenge of African American professionals during his tenure in the Movement.

"Blacks were not given leadership opportunities. There was an adage, 'Blacks did not possess leadership.' They could not manage and be a leader. The most hurtful thing was to see a black [who had developed the] management skills not given the opportunity to run an organization. While a young, non-black without experience was given those opportunities."

When asked about his mentor as well as the prominent black professionals in the Movement during his tenure, Dowe remembered a strong contingent of leaders from the Chicago organization as well as one prominent African American board volunteer. These gentlemen were his lifeblood. They kept going when things became rough.

"During my tenure we had... I called them 'the Chicago guys'... it was... I think his name is [Lincoln] Blakely was involved... Carl Woods was involved... we had Mr. Giles out of Baltimore... one guy that really impressed me was Ike Weatherly. He was the first African American to head-up a Boys & Girls Clubs in the state of Indiana.

"And one person I really admired... he was on the national board... I thought that he was a great great person... A.G. Gaston. He was a heck of a person. When we use to go to the National Conference, a lot of us felt alienated. We didn't feel like we were really a part. But A.G. would always throw a little reception for us and encourage us. There is a Club named after him (in Alabama). Another person is Danny Swope was very instrumental in helping us. He was out of Chicago.

[Lincoln] "Blakeley... He and Danny Swope were close... In fact, Chicago had a strong contingent of Black leaders back during the 70's and 80's.

"There is a gentlemen [Lee Smith] from Durham, NC at the Avery Boys & Girls Club that played a prominent role. I am sorry I cannot think of his name."

"One of my chief mentors is Carl Andrews and Lou Dantzler. Another person that helped me out was Chuck Bransford. He is at the Pasadena Club (CA)."

"One of my chief mentors is Carl Andrews and Lou Dantzler. Another person that helped me out was Chuck Bransford. He is at the Pasadena Club (CA)."

In closing Dowe leaves these words of wisdom to contemporary African American professionals:

Once you make that commitment, please try to fulfill it. You are impacting the lives of young people. Always be positive. Always give 100%.

There is a lot of opportunity for upward mobility [in the Movement]. Don't think you are ever out here by yourself. You can always pick-up the phone and network. And someone in the field will help you out.