A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor the members of the Prince Hall Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and Rite of Adoption for the State of South Carolina and Jurisdiction during their one hundred sixteenth year of service and camaraderie.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to commend the Prince Hall Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star (O.E.S.) for service to the community and beyond; and

Whereas, the O.E.S. Jurisdiction of South Carolina began in 1908, and the Grand Chapter was organized by Dr. Charles Catlett Johnson and other interested Free and Accepted Masons of South Carolina, along with their wives, during that year. Dr. Johnson became the Most Worshipful Grand Master for the Jurisdiction of South Carolina in 1908, as documented in 1925 in The History of the Order of the Eastern Star Among Colored People by Mrs. S. Joe Brown, the Matron of the International Conference of Grand Chapters of O.E.S.; and

Whereas, the first chartered chapter in South Carolina was Queen Esther Chapter #1. On June 15, 1909, in Columbia, the first joint organized meeting was held and is now known as the Annual Session now held in July. At the end of the first joint meeting in 1909, there were twenty-nine chapters with approximately three hundred eighty-nine members; and

Whereas, today eleven districts comprise the Jurisdiction of South Carolina which align with the eleven Masonic districts of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of South Carolina. Each district is led by an appointed Grand Supervising Deputy, Grand Associate Deputies, and District Officers elected by district members during their annual meeting.  Today there are some two hundred fifty chapters and nine thousand five hundred members of the Prince Hall Grand Chapter, O.E.S. in South Carolina; and

Whereas, with strong leadership since its founding, there have been a total of seventeen Grand Worthy Matrons, beginning with Grand Matron Fannie Shelton from 1909 to 1911. In addition to the Grand Worthy Matrons and Grand Worthy Patrons, the elected executive boards have included strong, capable sisters and brothers who have served as Grand Associate Matron, Grand Associate Patron, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer, Grand Conductress, and Grand Associate Conductress; and

Whereas, the Grand Chapter makes its presence felt in communities throughout the State in a variety of activities and events. Each year various charities benefit from monetary donations of the Grand Chapter, which also awards annual scholarships to support community youth attending college. The Grand Chapter, a lifetime member of the NAACP, engages in work that is multiplied and replicated by O.E.S. districts and individual chapters; and

Whereas, districts and chapters sponsor activities that are occasions for members to give back to the community with their time, talents, and donations through events, such as back-to-school drives, coat drives, food giveaways, walks, and marches supporting research for Alzheimer's, sickle cell anemia, breast cancer awareness, visits to schools, classroom buddies, and blessing boxes. A branch of O.E.S. was named the Mary B. Thomas Girls Youth Circle in 1988, in honor of Grand Matron Mary B. Thomas who served from 1959 to 1986, and focuses on mentoring young ladies; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the members of the O.E.S. as they serve in communities throughout the State of South Carolina and who strive daily to emulate the qualities of Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha, and Electa, five heroines of the Bible. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the members of the Prince Hall Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and Rite of Adoption for the State of South Carolina and Jurisdiction during their one hundred sixteenth year of service and camaraderie.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Grand Worthy Matron Mary M. Ennis.

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