History of GC
Origin and History of the Adoptive Rite Among Black Women
On August 10, 1874, Thornton Andrew Jackson received the several degrees of the Rite of Adoption of the Order of the Eastern Star from Brother C.B. Case, a Deputy and agent of Illustrious Robert Macoy 33, Supreme Patron of the Rite of Adoption of the World. In addition, Thornton Jackson also received a letter from Bro. C. B. Case granting him the authority to establish chapters of the Eastern Star among eligible black women. In obedience to the authority granted by WilliamH. Myers, Grand Master, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, Bro. Jackson established the first Eastern Star Chapter among black women in the United States.
On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, Order of the Eastern Star, was established at 708 - O Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. in the home of Mrs. Georgiana Thomas. The first Worthy Matron was Sister Martha Welch and the first Worthy Patron was Bro. Thornton A. Jackson.
In December 1874, Grand Master William H. Myers and Deputy Grand Master William A. Tallaferro, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, were invited to receive the androgynous degrees. They both accepted, thus further cementing the ties that bind the Masonic Family together. Upon the occasion of Grand Master Myers' initiation into the Adoptive Rite, he made the following statement to the sisters of Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 - extolling them to greatness:
"May the dove of peace hover over you. May the All Seeing Eye, whom the Sun, Moon and Stars obey ever watch over you. May he keep and protect you in your every effort to promote interest in the general good of this chapter".
On April 28, 1890, Queen of Sheba Chapter No. 3 and on October 20, 1890, Gethsemane Chapter No. 4, Order of the Eastern Star, were established by Thornton A. Jackson within the Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia. He was also instrumental and helped to establish one (1) chapter in Alexandria, Virginia, three (3) chapters in Maryland and three chapters in Pennsylvania. In each instance when a chapter was organized and established, it was adopted by a regularly constituted masonic Lodge. Thus, Brother Jackson was able to bring about more unity within the Masonic Family.
During the year 1875, Pythagoras Lodge No. 9 presented the officers of Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 with their first badges which were known as Rosettes. This presentation was made by Worthy Patron Thornton A. Jackson who wished the chapter success and prosperity in the work upon which they were entering. He admonished the officers to wear the Rosettes with dignity keeping ever before them the memory of the five (5) Heronines: Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha and Electa.
In closing, Brother Jackson stated : -
"To you Queen Esther and Associates, the representatives of the rays of the Beautiful Star and from whom comes the most charming, the most prophetic and the most instructive lessons of the Old and New Testaments. May you always throw an air of beauty and solemnity around all that you bring thousands to worship Him."
This has been our charge as bona fide members of the Order of Eastern Stars from 1875 to this present moment in time. And so it was one hundred years after the founding of the first Black Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, Order of the Eastern Star, was officially instituted in the City of Washington in the District of Columbia.
Researched, compiled and written by Past Grand Worthy Matron Jessie Mae Ayers.
In 1974 the Order of Eastern Star,Prince Hall Affiliation was established in Barbados with the chartering of Sarah Memorial Chapter # 78 by the Eureka Grand Chapter of the State of New York and Jurisdiction. Sister Beryl Dottin and Brother Quintyne A.L.Dottin were installed as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron respectively.
Sarah Memorial Chapter continued its amicable relations with Eureka Grand Chapter for the next two decades as the beacon for the Order of the Eastern Star in the Eastern Caribbean. With the establishment of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Caribbean in 1993, the formation of a Grand Chapter in this jurisdiction was suggested.
The then Grand Master M.W. Desmond Whitehall advanced the idea that the time was now right to do so and all avenues should be explored relative to such an undertaking. In furtherance of this idea Grand Master Whitehall convened a meeting on February 13,1996 in Barbados to discuss this subject amongst interested persons.The general consensus at that meeting was that all possiblities of establishing a Grand Chapter,OES should be explored. As a result,discussions were initiated with the Eureka Grand Chapter and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of New York and Jurisdiction.The climax of these discussions was the convening of an occasional Grand Chapter in Barbados on April 23,1996,by the Eureka Grand Chapter. Grand Worthy Matron Sister Vera H.Dikens and Grand Worthy Patron Floyd J.Lewis assisted by other officers and members of the Eureka Grand Chapter initiated eighty-five (85) ladies and thirty-nine (39) brothers as members of the Order of Eastern Star.
The new initiates were constituted into three additional Chapters,namely:- Beacon Light #2, Electa of Judea #3 and Halcyon Light #4 and these along with Sarah Memorial #1 agreed on the formation of a Grand Chapter.Thus on the following day April 24,1996,the Rita-G Grand Chapter,OES was inaugurated,with Sister Erlene Clarke as Grand Worthy Matron and Brother Orville Carter as Grand Worthy Patron.M.W. Desmond Whitehall,Grand Master expressing the wish then that "the light of the members of the Order of Eastern Star be spread wider and wider over the Caribbean".
This Grand Chapter bears the name of Sister Rita Gibbs-Goddard a Barbadian, who resided in New York for several years.Sister Goddard is a Past Matron of Fidelity Chapter #54, Past District Deputy Grand Matron for District #2 and Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer for District #8,Eureka Grand Chapter,State of New York and Jurisdiction. Sister Goddard is also a Licensed Lay Reader, Eucharistic Lay Minister and member of Cursillo #40 in the Diocese of Long Island.
Rita-G Grand Chapter was admitted as the forty-fourth (44th.) Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star,Prince Hall Affiliation, at the forty-eighth (48th.) Conference of Grand Chapters held at St.Louis, Missouri on May 9,1996.
