Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia
Organization in the United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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, founded in 1864, did not allow African Americans and so this group formed on its own.[1] 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.[2] [3]
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.