Charles E. Hamilton Jr. joined the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club in 1978. His first committee assignment was Assistant Chairman of the Queen’s Arrival in 1980. In 1981 he was appointed Chairman of the Queen’s Arrival and also Parade Chairman, a position he held for 8 years. In 1982 Charles E. Hamilton Jr. was elected Chairman of Finance, a position he held for 10 years. In 1989 Charles was appointed Chairman of Carnival Activities. In 1991 Charles E. Hamilton Jr. was given the esteem honor to reign as King Zulu for the organization’s 75th Diamond Jubilee. In 1992 Charles was elected to the Zulu Board of Directors. In 1996 Charles was elected to the position of Assistant Financial Secretary and then in 2000 he was elected to the position of Financial Secretary. In 2004, Charles E. Hamilton Jr. was elected to the position of President of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, Inc.
On the day that Charles E. Hamilton Jr. was sworn in as the Club’s 19th President, July 9, 2004, the Club’s membership reached 500 for the first time. Little did he know that in 13 months a tragedy would hit that would devastate not only the Zulu Organization, but our entire region.
Charles E. Hamilton Jr. has led the Zulu Organization through the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Even though the members were displaced and suffered great personal losses, the Zulu Organization’s motto of “Leading the Way Back Home” has been evident in the “recovery effort” of the City of New Orleans and the metro area. The Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club is stronger than ever and Charles E. Hamilton Jr. would like to highlight the word “Aid” in our name with greater “community involvement”. Charles states, “Yes, we are about Mardi Gras and yes, we are a Carnival Club, but in the aftermath of Katrina we have to use our resources to help others”.
Charles E. Hamilton Jr. was born August 26, 1942. He attended Holy Ghost Elementary School in uptown New Orleans, graduated from St. Augustine High School in 1960, and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Louisiana State University in New Orleans in 1964.
Charles is the father of six children and eight grandchildren. He is married to the former Patricia Wade.
Charles E. Hamilton Jr. presently resides in Harvey, La.
