Sons of Haiti facts for kids

The Sons of Haiti (which means "Children of Haiti" in French) is a special group for Haitian-American people. It's like a club or a brotherhood called a fraternal organization. Their main office is in Renton, Washington.

This group has smaller chapters, or local clubs, in many states. These include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. They also oversee another group called the King James Grand Lodge of Oregon.

History of the Sons of Haiti

How African American Fraternal Groups Started

In the early 1800s, it was very hard for African Americans to join most Masonic groups in the United States. These groups were mostly for white people. Because of this, African Americans started their own Masonic organizations.

Over time, many different African American Masonic groups formed. Sometimes, these groups didn't always agree with each other. It's common even today for several different groups to exist in the same state. Each group might say that only they are the "official" one.

Founding and Recognition

The Sons of Haiti officially started in 1962. Before that, the group had some disagreements with other African American Masonic organizations in Washington.

After it was founded, the Sons of Haiti was recognized by some other important groups. These included the Grand Lodges of Haiti, the Grande Loge de France (a French group), and a Mexican Grand Lodge.

Different Views on Legitimacy

Some other Masonic groups, like the Prince Hall Freemasonry's Phylaxis Society, have different rules. They say that Sons of Haiti is not a "legitimate" Masonic group. This is because Sons of Haiti did not come from certain older groups in England, Ireland, or Scotland. It's important to know that different Masonic groups have different ways of deciding who is "regular" or "legitimate."

Main Office and Important Dates

The main office for the Sons of Haiti Lodge is in Renton, Washington. The city council of Renton even recognized August 11, 2010, as "Sons of Haiti Supreme Council Day." This shows their local importance.

Before moving to Renton, their main office was in a building called Washington Hall in Seattle. They bought this building in 1973. They used to rent out the main hall for concerts and other community events. In 2009, they sold the building to a group called Historic Seattle.

From 1983 to 2006, the Sons of Haiti held yearly meetings. These meetings took place in different cities, from Oakland, California, to Nassau in the Bahamas.

Community Involvement and Charity Work

The Sons of Haiti group believes in helping their community.

Volunteering and Events

In 2009, the Sons of Haiti volunteered at an event in Portland, Oregon. This event was the 24th annual "Keep Alive The Dream" tribute. It honored Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

Charitable Organizations

The Sons of Haiti also has other groups that do charity work. These include:

• Sons of Haiti Manor Housing Association: This group helps with housing. It was started in 1995 and is a registered nonprofit. A nonprofit organization uses its money to help people, not to make a profit for owners.
• Sons of Haiti Senior Housing Association: This group also helps with housing, specifically for older people. It was started at the same time and address as the Manor Housing Association and is also a registered nonprofit.