Independent Order of St. Luke Collection

Guide To Independent Order of St.Luke Collection, 1877-1970

Span Dates 1877-1970, Bulk Dates 1915-1967
1 Linear Foot, MS 1988-121

Historical Sketch:

The Right Worthy Grand Council Independent Order of St. Luke was established in 1867 by Mary Prout of Baltimore, Maryland. It was organized to "promote the general welfare of society by uniting fraternally Negro persons of good moral character who are physically, morally, and socially acceptable, to educate and assist its members in thrift, to create and maintain funds out of which members...may receive benefits for themselves or their beneficiaries, [and] to provide death benefit protection to members" (Rules and Regulations handbook, 1933).

As a life insurance organization for blacks, it was chartered in Virginia in 1914 with its headquarters in Richmond. Chapters also existed in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Scope and Content Note:

The bulk of the materials in the collection consist of handbooks, correspondence, receipts, programs, membership records, annual reports, and assessment reports of the Order. Also includes the minutes (1920-38) of the Blacksburg chapters of the Busy Bee and Maggie L. Walker (Secretary of the Independent Order of St. Luke) Circles.

Provenance:

The papers were collected primarily from members in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Processing of the papers was completed in April 1991 by Heather Switzer.

Container list:

Box 1

Folder 1: 1877, 1894, 1906, 1933, n.d.--Rules and regulations hand- books
Folder 2: 1912, 1921, 1954, 1963-68, n.d.--Receipts, canceled checks, and bank statements
Folder 3: 1915-1916--Honor Roll: Councils That Have Added Ten New Members
Folder 4: 1916-1928--Correspondence
Folder 5: 1916-18, 1963-64--Checkbooks and stubs
Folder 6: 1919-23, 1941, 1949, 1969, n.d.--Miscellaneous
Folder 7: 1920s, 1939, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s--Postcards (receipts)
Folder 8: 1920-38--Minutes of the Blacksburg Busy Bee and Maggie L. Walker Circles
Folder 9: 1921-23--Death claims paid booklet
Folder 10: 1921, 1923--Financial report
Folder 11: 1921-34--Doctors' excuses
Folder 12: 1923, 1927--Convention souvenir programs
Folder 13: 1923-37--Membership payment records
Folder 14: 1924--Regalia catalog

Box 2

Folder 1: 1925-38, 1965-67--Bank statements
Folder 2: 1927, 1934, 1963-68--Returned checks
Folder 3: 1928-29, n.d.--Monthly Report sheets
Folder 4: 1930, 1936, n.d.--Excuses for absences
Folder 5: 1931-49--Correspondence (including correspondence to Annie Scott)
Folder 6: 1931, 1960, 1964--"Fraternal Monitor"
Folder 7: 1933--By-laws
Folder 8: 1935--Annual report
Folder 9: 1940--Proof of death instructions
Folder 10: 1943, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958--Lapse reports
Folder 11: 1946-50, 1960-63--Empty envelopes (correspondence to Annie Scott and Christine Price)
Folder 12: 1947-1958--"Fraternal Bulletin"
Folder 13: 1950, 1951, 1964, 1965, 1966--VPI electric bill
Folder 1: 1877, 1894, 1906, 1933, n.d.--Rreceipts
Folder 14: 1950-69--Correspondence (to Annie Scott through 1963; to Christine Price, 1964- 69)
Folder 15: 1958--Phone bill
Folder 16: 1962-67--"Dunne's Report" pamphlets
Folder 17: 1959-60--Annual statement
Folder 18: 1962, n.d.--Meeting minutes
Folder 19: 1967--Centennial calendar (1867-1967)
Folder 20: n.d.--Price lists
Folder 21: n.d.--Applications for transfer
Folder 22: n.d.--Representatives certificate
Folder 23: n.d.--Special dispensation blank forms
Folder 24: n.d.--Legal division form
Folder 25: n.d.--Legal reserve division (blank applications)
Folder 26: n.d.--Notice of death forms (blank)
Folder 27: n.d.--Juvenile department application forms (blank)

Box 3 (Oversize)

Folder 1: 1936-1963--Assessment reports
Folder 2: 1937-1963--Semi-annual tax reports
Folder 3: 1964-1970--Assessment reports

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