The broad ax., 1924-08-23
THE INTERNATIONAL. CONFERENCE
OF THE ORDER OF EASTERN
STAR, HELD FORTH AT PITTS
BURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, THIS
WEEK. MRS. S. JOE BROWN, THE
WORTHY GRAND MATRON, DE-
LIVERED THE FOLLOWING HIS
TORICAL ADDRESS DURING IT'S
SESSIONS:

Vui AntCiHdtiOtidl NOHlCASuSSs diiu
upon my arrival at Bakersfield, had
a pleasant visit at the home Of Sister
AIine Hueston, who resides in that
city, and accompanied me TO Los An
geles to a platform meeting on Sun
day afternoon. where there appeared
upon the same program aside from
your international Matron, the Grand
Matron Of California, the Grand
Matron Of Arizona and the Grand
Representative of Colorado. Later
in the week the Grand Patron Of Cali
fornia, who resides in Los Angeles,
arranged joint meeting between the
three subordinate Chapters Of that city
in the beautiful Masonic Temple which
is the property of Negro Masons,
where we again appeared on pro-
gram with the Grand Patron, two
past Grand Matrons, past Grand
Master of the California Jurisdiction
and the Grand Secretary of the New
England Grand Chapter, who like my
self was visiting the Golden West.
In Arizona where we made our next
stop and which is one of our youngest
Grand Jurisdictions, a meeting had
been arranged in Phoenix, by the
Grand Patron, Bro. Clay Credible, who
had been advised Of our coming BY
Sister Lynn Ross Carter, Grand
Matron and where we were very
pleasantly entertained.
We next found ourselves in the
Lone Star State, presided over by our
Associate international Patron, Bro.
J. c. Scott, whose Grand Communities
ton we also missed by one week.
However, thru the courtesy Of Brother
Scott, we were permitted to visit the
Widows and Orphans Home, the
pride of the Texas o. E. s., and also
the magnificent Masonic Temple, the
pride Of the Texas A. F. & A. M,
both located at TT. Worth, and in the
latter Of which we found the Office Of
our official organ the Eastern STAR
Our next and last stop was in the
show me" state where we found at
St Louis. Sister Marie Hedgmond.
Grand Matron Of the United Grand
Chapter as well as Princess Fannie
G. w. Mcdonald. Captain of the In
ternational conference Of Heroines Of
the Templar Crusades, in whose home
we spent very pleasant evening after
a conference with the Grand Matron
and some of the other outstanding
characters of this Jurisdiction.
From ST. Louis we returned home,
but about two weeks later made a trip
to Kansas City, Kansas, to the Ma
tional Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People and there met
and conferred with Sister Marie
Seanes, Grand Matron Of the Kansas
Jurisdiction. which is the only Juris-
diction so far as l am advised that
publishes its own Ritual.
Now as a result Of this tour Of
visitation, gathering data whenever
and wherever possible, together with
the information that have received
by way of responses to the question
mares, have been able to gather and
now bring to you the following his
torical data:
About a half century ago, and just
one hundred years after the founding
Of the first Lodge Of Negro A. F. &
"A. My Bro. Thornton A. Jackson, hav-
ing received the degrees from 4 deputy
Of Robert Mccoy. in the year 1875
there was instituted in the city of
Washington, in the District Of Coium-
bia, the first subordinate Chapter Of
% =. s.; and FIVE years later, in the
year 1880, in the city Of Washington,
North Carolina. Bishop ]. w. Hood,
organized the first Negro Grand Chap
ter Of Q. z. S. followed closely BY
California in the year 1881.
Then came Tennessee and others IN
succession until Grand Chapters Of D.
E. S. have been organized and now
exist among Negroes in thirty-four
Jurisdictions including that Of Ontario,
Canada, each of which i supreme
within itself and adopts its own form
or ritualistic work, which has natural
" resulted in a great variety in the
manners Of working in the various
Grand Jurisdictions.
After some years there arose a senti-
ment in favor Of closer Union and
greater uniformity OF work among the
several Grand Chapters in which sen
timent doubtless was IN the mind Of
Mother Letitia Z. Foy. whom We Ill
love to honor, when in the year 1907
she called together in the historic old