Evening star., 1935-08-20
COLORED KNIGHTS
TEMPLAR CONVENE
ParadeS Tomorrow and
Thursday Will Climax
Conventions Here.

The second of three major Negro
fraternal orders which are convening
here this week and next held its in
itial session today at the colored Ma
sonic Temple, Tenth and U streets.
Assembling for their biennial con-
clave, members of the International
Conference, Colored knights Templar,
met in secret to transact lodge busi-
ness and hear welcoming addresses
from prominentsM sMasons. An affiliated
women's organization-the Heroines of
Templar Crusaders-met at the same
time in another hall of the Masonic
Temple.
Both men and women were garbed
In the elaborate costumes of their
orders-the men in dark blue mill
tary uniforms. braided and epauleted
medals and jeweled symbols arrayed
across their coat fronts and with
white-plumed cooked hats; the women
in white velvet and sateen. with yell
low and red bordered capes.
Meet in Cathedral
The International Grand Court of
Cyrene. another woman's organization
associated with the Knights Templar,
met in the colored Scottish Rite Ca
thedral, 1881 Eleventh street, at 8 am.
The Knights Templar and their
women's organizations are holding
many Of their convention events jointly
with the Negro Shrners, here for their
th{rfu-6fth Hrir
festivities today were subordinated TO
the brother organization.
Two parades. one by the shriners
tomorrow and the other by the
Knights Thursday, will climax the
conventions. The Shriners will as
semble at Fourth street and Constitu-
tion avenue at pm. and march
along winding route leading past the
White House to Vermont avenue, U
street and Griffith Stadium. where the
marching units will disband to witness
field day. The Knights will repeat
this performance Thursday. Review
ing stands for both parades have been
constructed on John Marshall place
in front of the BelaSco Theater and
on U street near the end Of the parade
route
A moonlight Potomac River excur-
sion aboard the steamer Southport has
been planned for visiting delegates by
the Cyrenes Club and Masonic Band.
to start at 8 o'clock tonight At the
same time the International Grand
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, will
meet at the Masonic Temple. At mid
night the Order of the Eastern Star
will present a pageant at the Lincoln
Theater
Officers to Be Elected.
Prior to tomorrow's parade the COL
ored Shriners will elect officers for
the coming year at morning business
session. A whole new "divan" must
be chosen, including an imperial
potentate, chief rabban, imperial re-
corder, etc.
Although only about TOO had regis
tered for the Shriners and Knights
Templar Conventions, more colored
folk were arriving in town almost
hourly and the peak Of their fraternal
activity will be reached between Au-
gust IS and August 81 when the Elks
gather for their seth annual con-
vention. Elks officials predicted more
than $4,000 would participate.
An educational and economic con-
ference, sponsored by the Elks, will
be held Thursday in the Garnett-
Patterson Junior High School audi
torium. Judge William c. Hueston, a
race leader and an assistant Post
Oflce Department solicitor during the
Hoover administration, will address
the meeting, which Is to consider rural
education in the South, better hous-
ing and sanitary conditions and other
race problems. Governors of several
Southern States and prominent white
educators have been invited to attend.
A feature of the Elks Convention
will be the appearance here on Au-
gust 27 of three famous Negro athletes,
Joe Louis, the heavyweight contender; |;
Eulace Peacock, Temple University
dash star, and Jesse Owens, Ohio
State University's all around track
lum1nary.