Historical Significance In 1903, the Independent Order of St. Luke moved into its brand-new national headquarters in the St. Luke Building. The Order of St. Luke was initially founded in Baltimore in 1867 by Mary Prout, a formerly enslaved woman, to…

Historical Significance Black fraternal orders like the Odd Fellows (and similar organizations for women) were popular during the 19th century as places where blacks could hone their business and economic skills, as well as socialize. White Odd…

Historical Significance In 1893, Caleb Robinson (1864-1950s), a Jamaican-born and Virginia-educated professor at Virginia Union University in Richmond, created the McKinley Institute in the Meadville section of Halifax County. The Institute was…