The Frogs was a charitable organization for African Americans modeled on The American Actors Beneficial Association. The Frogs' mission was to build a best-in-class professional organization for Black theater professionals and those in arts-driven professions that rivaled the American Actors Benevolent Association, which did not permit Black membership. The name The name “The Frogs” originated from one of Aesop’s fables and the comedy by Aristophanes entitled The Frogs. It was meant to symbolize the organization’s noble goals for the Greater Black community. George Walker and The Frogs For performers in the early 1900s, it was apparent that white management ran their shows with a firm grip, allowing for very little advancement of colored actors and performers. Although unions were often negatively perceived in labor professions, it was understood that such professional organizations could be seen as beneficial to performers, both Black and white. Frogs founder, George Walker, wanted to build a fully funded, fully supported all-Black network, a functional counterpart to the white theatrical clubs and organizations that were forming during the early 1900s. His original startup group, The Colored Vaudeville Benevolent Association, received negative reactions from white producers. The concept of the colored man supporting himself through performance and no longer just “taking what they were given” posed a threat to the white vaudevillian and theatrical community. The White Rats, a group of white actors and performers who started a performers club in the same vision as Walker, heavily oppressed the Black community in terms of equality for white productions versus African American productions — and spurred Walker to create the Frogs On July 18, 1908, at Walker’s Harlem home at 52 West 153rd Street, eleven of the most prominent names in the industry established the African American theatrical organization. They held official elections for the positions of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, as well as established plans to better the professional standings of the African American man. The Frogs remained a professional club for quite some time, including lawyers and doctors in their mix of members. Influence Several years into the establishment of The Frogs, they became known for their big event “The Frolic of the Frogs” or “The Frogs Frolic” every August at the Manhattan Casino (New York City) at 155th Street and Eighth Avenue. For 50 cents, people enjoyed a combination ball, party and vaudeville show where favors were given to the ladies and door