The Monitors, a social club of professional black men, hosts a lively holiday gathering every year. This year's party was at the Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington.

The club was founded in 1955 by nuclear physicist Woodfin Lewis and architect Lorenzo "Pete" Williams "to have an opportunity to get together and socialize the way their wives did," said member and unofficial club historian Clinton Hewitt, a landscape architect and emeritus professor at the University of Minnesota.

"They began by getting together in basements, because they weren't allowed to rent space at white establishments."

The Monitors harnesses its members' talents and resources to support the Twin Cities African-American community, providing grants to community organizations that work with youth, volunteering and scholarships. "We're hopeful that we can meet our mission of being each other's keepers in these challenging times," said newly elected President David Maggitt.