The Lion Club is an all-male final club at Harvard University, sometimes referred to as The Lion.[1][2] The club was originally founded in 1893 as a chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and established finality (not allowing members to join other final clubs) following the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]
| Lion Club | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1893 Harvard University |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | Local |
| Mascot | Lion |
| Former name | S.A.E. |
| Past affiliation | Sigma Alpha Epsilon |
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts United States |
| Website | thelionclub.xyz |
History edit
The Lion was originally founded as a Greek letter organization in 1893 by Harvard University students H. C. Buckminster and W. Brackett, gaining an official charter from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity as the Massachusetts Gamma chapter.[3] Known as S.A.E., the group abided by the same rules imposed on the other final clubs on campus despite maintaining an active charter with a national fraternal organization.[4]
For decades, the club occupied a space at 1326 Massachusetts Avenue, immediately next to the Porcellian Club, above what was then the Hayes-Bickford Cafeteria and is now Clover Food Labs.[1][5] The club now maintains a members-only lounge in Oak Square. Despite their continued connection with the national organization, The Harvard Crimson reported in 1953 that the S.A.E. Club maintained its own rules regarding discriminatory admissions and had "no race or religious restrictions."[1]
Historically, the club operated as a "non-final" club, with some members of S.A.E. joining a separate final club.[1] Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the club rebranded as the Lion and established finality with its membership. The club currently operates a traditional punch process for sophomore and junior men at the college.
References edit
- ^ a b c d Langgutlr, Arthur J. (December 9, 1953). "Eleven Final Clubs: From Pig To Bat". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ a b "The Lion Club". The Lion. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ "Harvard University (Massachusetts Gamma)". Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Club Regulations Contain Same Rules as Last Year". The Harvard Crimson. September 27, 1917. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Hayes- Bickford Cafeteria". Cambridge Historical Society. Retrieved 2023-05-02.