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Independent Order of St. Luke

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1988-121

Scope and Content Information

The bulk of the materials in the collection consist of handbooks, correspondence, receipts, programs, membership records, annual reports, and assessment reports of the Order, collected primarily from members in Blacksburg, Virginia. 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.

Dates

  • Creation: 1877 - 1970

Access

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Independent Order of St. Luke must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Biographical/Historical Information

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).

Full Extent

1.1 Cubic Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is arranged according to subject matter.

General Physical Description note

1.1 cubic feet, 3 boxes, 44 folders

Title
A Guide to the Independent Order of St. Luke 1877-1970
Status
Completed
Author
Laura Katz Smith
Date
© 2001 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308