19. The Alfalfa Club
The club was founded in 1913 to celebrate General Robert E. Lee’s birthday. The name of this society derives from a plant’s root which “will allegedly do anything for a drink.” Alfalfa Club was wealthy and influential, having around 200 members. They only accepted new members (based on invitation) when a current one died! Every year, the US president joins the Alfalfa Club’s annual party to give a speech. Back in 2009, President Barack Obama gave a funny speech:
“This dinner began almost 100 years ago as a way to celebrate the birthday of General Robert E. Lee. If he were here with us tonight, the General would be 202 years old. And very confused.”