As a child, Leslie Byrd only knew the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) by their white dresses and sashes. Yet her maternal and fraternal grandmothers and great-grandmothers were members. The passing of the generations before her made Byrd want to pick up the torch and continue their legacy.
Her grandmother’s grandmatron connected her with members in Minnesota, and she became a member in 2001. She served in most of the offices as an active member and worked her way up to worthy grand matron, a presiding officer of the highest authority.
In 1784, Prince Hall was the first U.S.-established North American Freemasonry created for African Americans in Boston, Massachusetts. It was the first organization in U.S. history dedicated to improving social, political, and economic issues. In 1894, Prince Hall Masonic Temple was established as the Minnesota affiliate.
The OES is its sisterhood organization. “We are not a religious group, but we have religious beliefs,” says Byrd. “We try to build bonds of brotherly love and sisterly love.”
Much like the Greek fraternal organizations on college campuses, they are a fraternal organization. Yet, they are not affiliated with colleges or any other organization, though they have state-wide jurisdictions. They have a Christian rather than mythological foundation.
“In our organization, we have Muslims, we have Christians,” says Byrd. “So, we have folks of different religious backgrounds. However, you must believe in a supreme being because we follow biblical rules.”
The sisterhood exemplifies five heroines in the Bible: Adah, Ruth, Martha, Electa, and Ester. It tries to emulate these heroines by providing charitable and educational support to its community. This includes backpack giveaways and supporting two food shelves: Hallie Q. Brown in St. Paul and Sabathani Community Center in South Minneapolis.
OES also participates in activities to raise funds through walks for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart health. Each worthy grand matron chooses an organization that they like to support.
For Byrd, it is autism. She became familiar with Hospitality House in North because her grandson attends their program. “My grandson can be a handful because of his disability,” she says. “I know that they work with children that have struggles like my grandson” who has autism.
Through their interaction, they determine the community’s needs. “It’s something that you can see with homelessness,” Byrd says. “We’ve been to those encampments and just wanted to give out food. So, we go where we see the need. We try to stay local to help our community first.”
They also commit to their members with celebrations like Queen Ester Day. They attend an annual event with an 11-state Midwest jurisdiction spanning from Minnesota in the north to Kentucky in the south. Nationally, the grand masters and matrons meet annually across the United States.
Each state is a sovereign within itself. Anyone can join if they follow their state’s requirements. In Minnesota, members must be 18 or older, reside in the state for at least one year, believe in a supreme being, and follow their bylaws. These requirements differ somewhat from state to state.
There are four chapters in Minnesota; three gather in South Minneapolis at the Masonic Temple at 3832 4th Ave., and the fourth in St. Paul. “We are diverse,” Byrd says. “However, you will find most of us are African American.”
Their Queen Ester 16 chapter is predominantly Liberian. Chapters are made up of the community’s people. Members tend to join where they are familiar with people.
Prospective members may be put off by the time commitment of monthly meetings and workshops to help them understand the organization’s purpose. “We don’t want to waste their time, nor do we want our time wasted.” They are looking for active members.
Having a felony is also a reason individuals are not accepted. “If you have a criminal record of theft, assault, or harming others, that would be a ‘No,’” Byrd says in efforts to protect donations and vulnerable participants.
Other reasons a prospective candidate may not want to pursue membership are that “we have been labeled a cult or a part of Illuminati,” says Byrd. They also have longtime members, so a new member may feel like an outsider.
They do not recruit but are proactive about being in the community so that people know who they are. “About three years ago, we had roughly 300-odd members of the order,” Byrd says. “However, every year when we have our conferences, they have been depleting.”
Aging is the biggest reason for declining membership, followed by the passing of older members. “I think we are just a little over 100 members and a little over 305 masons.” The numbers are larger in bigger cities, like Illinois, with over 500 members.
Most commonly, interactions happen at community events. On July 31, they will participate in the Southside Back in the Day event at Phelps Park in Minneapolis. “‘My grandmother was an Eastern Star.’ I hear that all the time,” says Byrd of those who see them at events.
Though they fellowship with many churches, Byrd says, “We are trying to be more in the community. [Talk to] anyone you see with one of the Easter Star shirts on. We are very vibrant out there in our attire.”
For more information, go to mwphglmn.org or the Prince Hall Grand Chapter Minnesota Facebook page. Contact their secretary at phgcmn.sec.com or Leslie Byrd at Leslie.byrd@yahoo.com.