International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor |
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| IOT | |
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| Founded | 1872 Independence, Missouri, US |
| Type | General fraternity |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Emphasis | African American |
| Scope | Local (previously international) |
| Motto | In Solo Deo Salus "In God Alone is Safety" |
| Pillars | Justice, Equity, Benevolence, Prudence, Loyalty, Unity, and Impartiality |
| Colors | Red, Black and Green |
| Publication | The Taborian |
| Philanthropy | Taborian Hospital |
| Chapters | 1 active |
| Headquarters | Mound Bayou, Mississippi United States |
The International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor (or IOT) is a special group for both boys and girls, and men and women, who are African American. It's famous for helping to create the Taborian Hospital.
Contents
History of the IOT
This group was started by Moses Dickson in 1846. He was an important leader who worked to end slavery. At first, it was called the International Order of Twelve and helped fight against slavery.
The group was officially restarted in 1872 in Independence, Missouri. It became a helpful organization that offered money to members when they were sick or after they passed away. By the 1890s, the group had many members. They were in 30 states in the US, the West Indies, England, and Africa.
Even though both men and women could join, they met in separate local groups. Men's groups were called Temples, and women's groups were called Tabernacles. Men were known as Knights, and women were called Daughters. There were also groups for younger members called Tents. Young boys were called Pages of Honor, and young girls were called Maids.
In 1915, the Order was part of a big court case in Texas. A man was hurt during a special ceremony. The group said that the accident was not their fault. The case went all the way to the highest court in Texas. The court decided that the Order had to pay the man for his injuries.
As of 2025, this group works as a non-profit organization. They help with projects to fix up and improve things in Mound Bayou, Mississippi.
Symbols and Meanings
The name Knights and Daughters of Tabor comes from Mount Tabor in Israel. This mountain is an important place in the Bible. The group's motto is In Solo Deo Salus, which means "In God Alone is Safety."
The group's special badge is a silver star with twelve points. It has the numbers 333 and 777 on it. These numbers are important because of their meaning in the Bible. The number 777 also shows the group's strong beliefs. These beliefs include fairness, kindness, carefulness, loyalty, working together, and treating everyone equally.
The colors of the group are red, black, and green. Red stands for the blood of Jesus. Black represents death, and green means forever.
The group also had its own newspaper called The Taborian.
Taborian Hospital
After some years, more people joined the group after 1938. This happened when Perry M. Smith, a leader in the group, suggested building a hospital. This hospital would be in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, a town where only Black people lived.
To pay for the hospital, each member gave money every year to a special hospital fund. Mr. Smith also visited farms across Mississippi to collect more money. The group owned and ran the hospital from 1942 to 1966.
In 1966, the Taborian Hospital joined with another hospital. It became the Mound Bayou Community Hospital. The hospital closed its doors in 1983.
Notable Members
Many important people were part of this organization:
- Minnie L. Fisher, a community helper and activist
- A.C. Jackson, a surgeon (a doctor who performs operations)
- Scipio Africanus Jones, a lawyer, judge, and Republican politician
- John Angelo Lester, a physician (a doctor)
See also
- List of general fraternities
- List of friendly and benefit societies
- List of North American ethnic and religious fraternal orders
Images for kids
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Badge of the International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor, 1891
