Mosaic Templars of America facts for kids
The Mosaic Templars of America was a special club or group started by Black Americans. It was founded in 1883 in Little Rock, Arkansas, by two former slaves, John E. Bush and Chester W. Keatts. This group helped Black people get important services like insurance for sickness, death, and burials. At that time, it was very hard for Black people to get these kinds of services.
How It Started
The story of how the Mosaic Templars of America began is quite interesting. One day, John E. Bush was in Little Rock when an older Black woman asked for money. She needed help paying for her husband's funeral. This made Bush want to help.
He talked with his friend, Chester W. Keatts. Together, they decided to create the Mosaic Templars of America. The name "Mosaic Templars" was chosen to connect their work to Moses. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. This was like how the group wanted to help Black Americans escape the unfair rules of the Jim Crow South.
What They Did
The main goal of the Mosaic Templars was to bring together Black people of good character. They wanted to help their members in every way they could. This included giving moral support and financial help. The group did not get involved in the political or religious beliefs of its members.
Growing Businesses
The Mosaic Templars of America quickly grew. By 1900, they had many different businesses. These included:
- An insurance company
- A building and loan association (which helped people buy homes)
- A publishing company
- A business college
- A nursing school
- A hospital
By the end of 1922, the group had grown a lot. They had 87,069 members across many places.
Spreading Out
By 1905, the Mosaic Templars had local groups, called lodges, all over Arkansas. They had thousands of members. Their main office was in a beautiful new building. It opened in 1913 in Little Rock, Arkansas. A famous leader, Booker T. Washington, even gave a speech at the opening.
In the 1920s, the group had chapters in 26 states in the USA. They also had chapters in six other countries. This made them one of the biggest Black organizations in the world.
The End and What's Left
In the 1930s, the Great Depression hit. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money. The Mosaic Templars of America found it hard to keep going. Eventually, they stopped most of their operations.
However, one chapter of the group still exists today. It is located in Barbados. The old headquarters building in Little Rock, Arkansas, is now home to the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. This center helps people learn about the history of the Mosaic Templars and Black culture.
