The AMCC was founded by five clubs in April, 1969 in Washington, DC. The intent of the Council was to help the clubs coordinate schedules. As new clubs joined and By-Laws, called Articles of Agreement, were adopted, the Council's purpose steadily shifted from coordination to assistance in formation of new clubs, support of club events, and legislation of common rules.

In 1974 the Atlantic-MidWest Coordinating Council, as it was first called, split into three parts: the AMCC, the European Conference of Motorcycle Clubs (ECMC), and the MidAmerica Conference (MAC). The three organizations agreed on programs in common and built and continue to maintain a working relationship.

In 1976 the AMCC held an all club joint run for the Bicentennial. Interclub cooperation was strained and several relationships were strained to the breaking point. It seemed that there is a limit to cooperation when clubs subsume their individual identities in favor of a greater effort. The breaches were healed and new Articles of Agreement made interclub efforts easier.

With the reformulation of the AMCC more clubs entered. Each club had to give up a part of its separate identity in order to work cooperatively with each other. Some clubs in the AMCC's area refused to join because of the very need to voluntarily give up the ability to do whatever they wished whenever they wanted. Those clubs that joined found that cooperative and supported interclub life was preferable to going it alone. This tension continues and as new clubs approach the AMCC and as existing club's change leadership, the way the AMCC is viewed changes while the organization remains the same. The AMCC is both at the same time a boon and a bane: boon to support and cooperation and a bane to total independence.

Other interclub councils have formed, including the SouthEast Conference. The same issues must be dealt with in these newly formulated groups. The AMCC stands ready to assist with the formation of new clubs and new conferences. In the life of the leather community, the AMCC nurtures its members, supports the creation of new organizations, supplies a forum for discussion, and leads in the development of leather brother/sisterhood.

Handout: AMCC Articles of Agreement; AMCC Sanctioned Event Listing

Presented: Sunday, April 2, 2000, 9-10:30am
See: http://www.DCPride.org/AMCC

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