To celebrate Black History Month 2023, our latest blog post recognizes Almon J. Clark, the Black Burlington resident who managed Commons Hall on the UVM campus from 1896-1902.

For some years, UVM offered students board (dining) at Commons Hall on Colchester Avenue. Until 1908, the university hired contractors to manage Commons Hall, also known as the Hash House. In late September 1896, the Burlington Free Press announced that A. J. Clark, “the well-known caterer,” took over the management of Commons Hall. The students must have been pleased with Clark’s management, because on New Year’s Day they recognized Mr. and Mrs. Cook with a speech and an elegant chair. Read more about A. J. Clark and Commons Hall in the post, Black Caterer Managed UVM’s Hash House.