The Ozark Club
Where Everyone Was Welcome
“As was true for many Americans in the years following the Civil War, large numbers of black Americans began moving westward for a variety of reasons. Some were sent by the U. S. Army; others joined the developing cattle industry in the West. Few people today realize that roughly one-third of all the cowboys working in the post-Civil War era were either black or Mexican. The railroads, which employed African Americans in select positions, added further to the black presence in the West.
Many black residents in the American West eventually settled in growing urban centers, including the Montana cities of Helena, Butte and Great Falls. Within these communities, African Americans established businesses and created various social and civic organizations. As vibrant as these communities were, living in Montana was not without its drawbacks. African Americans in Montana were still forced to endure both social and legal discrimination, especially during the first half of the twentieth century. It was within this historical context that a nightclub known as the Ozark Club arose in Great Falls.
For nearly three decades, the Ozark Club helped to break down racial barriers and provided an exhilarating form of music that could lift the human spirit and put a joyful smile on the listeners’ face.”
-Ken Robison, Montana: A Cultural Medley
Born in 1902, young Leo Phillip LaMar brought his hopes and dreams to Montana late in 1920 while working as a porter on the Great Northern Railroad. It was in Great Falls that LaMar’s drive and energy enabled him to transform a small “colored” social club into a renowned nightclub where young and old, blacks and whites gathered to play and listen to jazz. LaMar’s Ozark Club broke racial barriers and anchored nightlife on the Southside of Great Falls for almost three decades.
Prior to Leo’s arrival, the original Ozark Club operated at 119 Second Avenue South. When it incorporated as the Ozark Colored Club in June of 1909, it counted 147 members, with only blacks eligible for membership. By 1916, the Ozark had moved to the second floor of the original fire station. This club featured a bar and game room, and membership grew to more than 200 members.