Inter-City Yacht Club (IYC), of Cleveland, Ohio, is one of two member run clubs in the United States that are predominantly African American. Decades before the formation of the IYC, its members were forced to travel great distances to enjoy a day out on the water. They were often turned away from the local marinas and clubs to purchase gas or docking spaces. With frustrations building, a group of men rallied around one another and set out to secure a piece of property for their own boat club. They envisioned a location with their own waterway, docks, and clubhouse. In the 1960s, the group petitioned for a section of land and secured a waterfront property near Gordon Park, on the east side of Cleveland. In 1968, the group formed the Inter-City Yacht Club. Over the past fifty-six years the club has transformed the land to fulfill their dreams, fitted with their own waterway, docks, and clubhouse, IYC holds monthly events, including food drives, and toy collections, all while finding time to hit the water and enjoy a day in the rays.
