The Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, also known as the Colored Knights of Pythias or the Knights of Pythias, was a fraternal organization in the United States. The

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias is the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded ...

, founded in 1864, did not allow African Americans and so this group formed on its own. The organization was established in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1880 by Thomas W. Stringer, along with Thomas M. Broadwater, A. E. Lightfoot, George A. Place, W. D. Starks, Claybourne Julian. The organization followed the organizational structure of many other fraternal organizations with a national Supreme Lodge, Grand Lodges at the state level, and local lodges regionally. The organization provided its members death and sick benefits.

History

The organization's initial title the Knights of Pythias of North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceanica was later changed to Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. There are competing accounts for how the original group of Thomas W. Stringer, Thomas M. Broadwater, A. E. Lightfoot, George A. Place, W. D. Starks, Claybourne Julian, learned the rituals from the

, which barred Black men from joining. Descriptions range from some of the men who could pass as white joining the white organization and then bringing the rituals back or a white Knights of Pythias sharing the rituals with Thomas W. Stringer and the others. The first lodge formed was named Lightfoot Lodge, No. 1, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The organization quickly spread under Thomas W. Stringer's leadership.

Order of Calanthe The Order of Calanthe, originally titled the Independent Order of Calanthe, is a fraternal benefit society for African American women. It was established in Louisiana in 1883 as an auxiliary to the Knights of Pythias of North America, South Americ ...

, the women's auxiliary to the Knights of Pythias, was established in Louisiana in 1883 and was open to family of Knights of Pythias members. Calanthe was wife of Pythias in the Greek legend Damon and Pythias. A lawsuit was filed in Georgia challenging the organization's use of the

name and paraphernalia. The suit was a focus of concern at the group's National Convention held in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

in 1909. The white Pythians of Georgia finally lost in 1912 and both groups were allowed to use the name. The group had strong membership in Florida. The Florida organization required membership to pay poll taxes and register to vote. In Quincy, Florida, this drew the ire of the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

and the group's lodge was burned, and several members murdered. In 1891, the Supreme Lodge paraded through New York City with a contingent of seven hundred Sir Knights in full uniform. In 1905, there were eight lodges in New York state and 340 members. The New York branch's second annual convention in the state was held in Brooklyn. The Grand Lodge of Michigan was organized on September 22, 1922, in Detroit, Michigan, with J. Will Cooper as the first Grand Chancellor.

Buildings

Chicago was chosen for the Supreme Temple in 1906. Frank Hunter was chosen to design a Grand Lodge by the group's Indianapolis branches. It was dedicated in 1911 and remains standing at 701-703 North Senate. The '' Indianapolis Recorder'' was a tenant. A former lodge in Waxahachie, Texas is now home to

Ellis County African American Hall of Fame Museum and Library The Ellis County African American Hall of Fame Museum and Library was established to recognize and tell the stories of African Americans with ties to the city of Waxahachie, Texas. The museum and library are housed in a historic fraternal buildi ...

Other buildings

*Supreme Lodge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania *

New Granada Theater The New Granada Theater at 2007 Centre Avenue in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was built in 1927 and 1928. This Art Deco theater was designed by architect Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger, and originally was a Pythian T ...

in Pittsburgh designed by

Louis Bellinger Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger (September 29, 1891, in Sumter, South Carolina – February 3, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was an American architect responsible for the design of significant buildings in and near Pittsburgh. Life and work ...

*Pythian Bathouse and Sanitarium in Hot Springs, Arkansas (1914) *Pythian National Temple in Chicago (1928) designed by

Walter T. Bailey Walter Thomas Bailey (January 11, 1882 – February 21, 1941) was an American architect from Kewanee, Illinois. He was the first African American graduate with a bachelor of science degree in architectural engineering from the University of Illin ...

*Pythian Temple in New Orleans, Louisiana (1908) *

Knights of Pythias Temple (Dallas, Texas) The Knights of Pythias Temple is an historic Knights of Pythias building located at 2551 Elm Street in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. Also known as the Union Bankers Building for a later owner, it was designed by African-American ...

*Four lodges in Austin, Texas *LaVilla Pythian building in Jacksonville, Florida

Notable members

Smith Wendell Green Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

(1860-1946), Fifth Supreme Chancellor *

Chester W. Keatts Chester W. Keatts (1854–1908), a former slave, co-founded the Mosaic Templars of America in Little Rock, Arkansas. He worked for the railway mail service, federal court, and as a lawman. He campaigned for two offices as a member of the Republica ...

* L. B. Kinchion Sr., Grand Chancellor *

Robert F. Boyd Robert Fulton Boyd (July 8, 1858 – July 20th, 1912) was an African-American medical doctor, professor, politician, and one of the co-founders of the National Medical Association, serving as its first president between 1895-1898. He also researc ...

* Samuel W. Starks * Thomas W. Stringer * Benjamin L. Hooks *

John Mitchell Jr. John Mitchell Jr. (July 11, 1863 – December 3, 1929) was an American businessman, newspaper editor, African American civil rights activist, and politician in Richmond, Virginia, particularly in Richmond's Jackson Ward, which became known as ...

of the ''

Richmond Planet ''Richmond Planet'' was an African-American newspaper in Richmond, Virginia. The paper was founded in 1882 gathering in an upper room of a building located near the corner of Third and Broad streets thirteen former slaves (James H. Hayes, James ...

'' * George P. Stewart of the '' Indianapolis Recorder'' * Oscar W. Adams Sr. of the ''Birmingham Reporter'' *

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

* James A. Merriman *

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musici ...

Miles Dewey Davis Jr. Miles Dewey Davis Jr. (March 1, 1898 – May 21, 1962) was an American dentist and father of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. Biography Davis was born on March 1, 1898, in Noble Lake, Arkansas. He was a son of Miles Dewey Davis Sr. and Mary (Luster ...

* Henry Alvin Cameron *

Don S.S. Goodloe Rev. Don Speed Smith Goodloe (June 2, 1878 – September 2, 1959), born in the Lowell community, near Paint Lick, Kentucky, was a black teacher who became a pioneer for racial integration in the Unitarian church. He was the first principal of t ...

Matthew W. Bullock Matthew Washington Bullock (September 11, 1881 – December 17, 1972) was an American football player and coach who rose to distinction in many fields, and many of them with instances of racism in opposition to his life and skill, through whic ...

George Edwin Taylor George Edwin Taylor (August 4, 1857 – December 23, 1925) was an American journalist, editor, political activist, and politician. In 1904, he was the candidate of the National Negro Liberty Party for President of the United States. He was the ...

T. Gillis Nutter Thomas Gillis Nutter (1876 – 1959
West Virginia Vital Research Records-Death Record Detai ...

* A. Maceo Smith *

Dan Desdunes Daniel F. Desdunes (c. 1870 – April 24, 1929) was a civil rights activist and musician in New Orleans and Omaha, Nebraska. Descended from a family of people of color free before the Civil War, in 1892 he volunteered to board a train car des ...

William R. Pettiford William R. Pettiford (January 20, 1847 – September 20, 1914) was a minister and banker in Birmingham, Alabama. Early in his career he worked as a minister and teacher in various towns in Alabama, moving to the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1883 ...

Butler R. Wilson Butler Roland Wilson (1861–1939) was an attorney, civil rights activist, and humanitarian based in Boston, Massachusetts. Born in Georgia, he came to Boston for law school and lived there for the remainder of his life. For over fifty years, he ...

Jacob C. White Jr. Jacob "Jake" C. White Jr. (1837 – November 11, 1902) was an American educator, intellectual, and civil rights activist. Born to a successful and influential businessman, White received the finest education afforded to African-Americans of the ...

Edward W. Pearson Sr. Edward Walton Pearson, Sr. (January 25, 1872 – July 4, 1946) was an African-American entrepreneur, Buffalo Soldier and Spanish–American War veteran, civil rights leader, and pioneering sports enthusiast. He moved to Asheville, North Caroli ...

Paris Simkins Paris Simkins (1849-1930) was an African-American storekeeper, lawyer, minister, barber, and politician. Born into slavery, Simkins founded the Macedonia Baptist Church in Edgefield, South Carolina. A staunch Republican, he served in multiple gove ...

* Joseph Monroe *

William Thomas Jefferson William Thomas Jefferson, D.D.S. (August 4, 1864 – October 26, 1925) was an African American who became the first Black dentist to practice dentistry in the United States Army during his military service in the Spanish–American War. Early ...

* James A. Merriman * Edward D. Green * Charles Victor Roman * A. Wilberforce Williams * Oscar W. Adams Sr.

Publications

*''Constitution and By-laws of the Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia'' (1912) *''Constitution and Grand Statutes of the Grand Lodge Colored Knights of Phythias'' (1921) *The New York Public Library has a collection of their files. *Sheet music for a

minstrel song The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spe ...

about the group on grand parade was published in 1882. It was dedicated to Edward Harrigan.

Additional sources

* The ''History and manual of the Colored Knights of Pythias N.A., S.A., E.A., A. and A'' by E. A. Williams, Smith W. Green; Joseph L. Jones; Knights of Pythias, Supreme Lodge.; National Baptist Publishing Board in Nashville, Tennessee was published in 1917. * In 2012, ''The Alabama Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia; A Brief History'' by Marilyn T. Peebles was published.

References

{{Reflist 1880 establishments in Mississippi Vicksburg, Mississippi Ethnic fraternal orders in the United States African-American organizations Organizations established in 1880 Secret societies in the United States