NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION RECORD
RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star (Omaha, Neb.)
Records: 1921-1986, mostly 1950s-1970s
Omaha, Douglas County, Neb.: African American women's fraternal organization
Size: 4 reels of 35mm microfilm
BACKGROUND NOTE
Nebraska's Amaranthus Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star was founded on Oct. 15,
1921 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is the women's auxiliary of the
Order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. The Amaranthus Grand Chapter, a black organization, was affiliated particularly with Prince Hall Masonry, the black arm of Free- masonry and was the thirty-third OES black Grand Chapter to form in the nation. As Grand Chapter of the
Nebraska Jurisdiction, it possessed judicial, legislative and executive power over subordinate chapters in Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Grand Island, Alliance and South Sioux City.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of four reels of 35mm microfilm. It has been arranged in two series:
1) the Amaranthus Grand Chapter; and 2) Subordinate chapters. Items in Series One include correspondence, financial records, minutes, annual addresses, organizational histories and constitutions and by-laws. Of special interest are transcripts of the oral history interviews of five chapter members. Series Two contains financial records, correspondence, minutes and charters. There are materials from fifteen Nebraska OES chapters in this series, although the bulk of the material is from Shaffer Chapter #1 in Omaha. For more information about Prince Hall
Masonry and the OES, see Nebraska History (Spring 1995, Vol. 76).
(Acc.87-76; 1992.0487; 1993.0237)
DESCRIPTION
SERIES ONE: AMARANTHUS GRAND CHAPTER
Reel 1
Historical Materials
Item 1: The History of the Order of The Eastern Star Among Colored People
Item 4: 50th Anniversary of Amaranthus Grand Chapter, 1921-1971 History, 1921-
1971
Proceedings of the Organization and First Annual Communication, Oct. 4-6, 1922
Item 5: Book of Instruction of Eastern Star Chapters of Nebraska
Item 6: Constituent Chapters

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Constitution and By-laws
Reel 1
Item 1: 1921
Item 2: 1940
Item 3: 1970
Item 4: undated
Oral Histories, 1986
Reel 1
Item 1: Sister Viney Walker
Item 2: Sister Susie Jones
Item 3: Past Grand Matron Mattie G. Henry
Item 4: Sister Ivory Johnson
Item 5: Sister Dolores Brown
Proceedings of Annual Grand Communications
Reel 1
Vol. 1: 1916
Vol. 2: 1917
Vol. 3: 1920
Vol. 4: 1926-1928
Vol. 5: 1978
Vol. 6: 1980
Vol. 7: 1982
Vol. 8: 1983
Vol. 9: 1984
Vol. 10: 1976
Programs of Annual Sessions and Communications
Reel 1
Vol. 1: 1931
Vol. 2: 1932
Vol. 3: 1941
Vol. 4: 1943
Vol. 5: 1944
Vol. 6: 1951
Vol. 7: 1951
Vol. 8: 1952
Vol. 9: 1955
Vol. 10: 1957
Vol. 11: 1958
Page 2

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Vol. 12: 1959
Vol. 13: 1960
Vol. 14: 1961
Vol. 15: 1962
Vol. 16: 1963
Vol. 17: 1964
Vol. 18: 1965
Vol. 19: 1966
Vol. 20: 1967
Vol. 21: 1968
Vol. 22: 1969
Vol. 23: 1970
Vol. 24: 1971
Vol. 25: 1972
Vol. 26: 1973
Vol. 27: 1974
Vol. 28: 1976
Vol. 29: 1977
Vol. 30: 1978
Vol. 31: 1979
Vol. 32: 1980
Vol. 33: 1981
Vol. 34: 1982
Vol. 35: 1983
Vol. 36: 1984
Vol. 37: 1985
Vol. 38: 1986
Annual Address of Grand Patron
Reel 2
1940
1959-1960
1968-1969
1970-1971
1971-1972
1973-1974 (version 1)
1973-1974 (version 2)
1974-1975
1978
Correspondence
Reel 2
1962
1964
Page 3

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
1965
1967
1968
1968 newsletter, Issue 1
1968 newsletter, Issue 2
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983 undated
Minute Books
Reel 2
Vol. 1: 1934-1941
Vol. 2: 1950-1961
Board Meeting Minutes
Reel 2
1985-1986
Financial Records
Reel 2
Grand Secretary’s reports
1971-1972
1974-1975
1975-1976
1976-1977
1977-1978
1979-1980
1980-1981
1982-1983
1983-1984
1984-1985
Page 4

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Treasurer’s reports
1971-1972
1977
1978
1984-1985
1986
Proposed budget
1981-1982
Jurisprudence Committee
Reel 2
Reports, letters, c. 1961-1972, undated
Youth's Fraternity
Reel 2
Ritual and Constitution [3 items]
Second Annual Communication, 1978
SERIES TWO: SUBORDINATE CHAPTERS
Shaffer Chapter #1
Reel 3
Petition and charter, 1921
Constitution and by-laws undated undated (torn)
Item 5, 1954
Item 17, 1970
1968 (Nov. 13)
1978
Item 18, Nov. 6, 1968 undated
Cash receipt book (includes some minutes), 1954-1956
Minutes of meetings (all in one book)
1957
1958
1959
1960
Page 5

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
Reel 3
Financial records
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
Roster and beneficiaries
1949
Returns of Shaffer Chapter #1
1940
1950-1951
1952-1953
Quarterly relief and burial report
1940
1941
1946
Page 6

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Petitions for Degrees
Correspondence (miscellaneous)
Amaranth Chapter #3
Reel 3
Charter
Hiawatha Chapter #4
Reel 3
Charter
Photos, histories of members
Alliance Chapter #5
Reel 3
Chapter minutes
1950-1951
1954-1960
Financial records
1950-1960
Omaha Chapter #6
Reel 3
Charter
Program, fashion show
Ruth Chapter #9
Reel 3
Charters
List of members and dates
Photos
Correspondence
Sheba Chapter #10
Reel 3
Charter
Page 7

RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Princess Oziel Chapter #11
Reel 3
Charter
By-laws
Minutes, c. 1931-1933
Yearbook, 1972
Correspondence
Queen Esther Chapter #12
Reel 3
Charter
Constitution and by-laws
Returns, 1954-1955
Quarterly relief reports
Correspondence
Adah Chapter #13
Reel 3
Charter
Electa Chapter #14
Reel 3
Charter
By-laws
Shiloh Chapter #15
Reel 4
Chapter minutes, 1952-1957
Deborah Chapter #17
Reel 4
Charter
Minutes, 1962-1984
Miscellaneous correspondence
Minutes, 1957-1962
Evening Star Chapter #18
Reel 4
Charter
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AIP kfk
RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Zaha Court #72 (Daughters of Isis)
Reel 4
Miscellaneous charters
Miscellaneous correspondence
Miscellany
Reel 4
By-laws, 1958
Memorial Service programs
Miscellaneous
12-02-1997
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RG4250.AM: Amaranthus Grand Chapter of Nebraska Eastern Star
Added entries:
Adah Chapter #13 (South Omaha, Neb.)
AFRO-AMERICANS--NEBRASKA
Alliance Chapter #5 (Alliance, Neb.)
Amaranth Chapter #3 (Lincoln, Neb.)
Deborah Chapter #17 (Omaha, Neb.)
Electa Chapter #14 (Lincoln, Neb.)
Evening Star Chapter #18 (Grand Island, Neb.)
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
FREEMASONRY
Hiawatha Chapter #4 (Omaha, Neb.)
Omaha Chapter #6 (Omaha, Neb.)
ORAL HISTORY--NEBRASKA
Order of the Eastern Star
Princess Oziel Chapter #11 (Omaha, Neb.)
Queen Esther Chapter #12 (Omaha, Neb.)
Ruth Chapter #9 (Omaha, Neb.)
Shaffer Chapter #1 (Omaha, Neb.)
Sheba Chapter #10 (Omaha, Neb.)
Shiloh Chapter #15 (Hastings, Neb.)
WOMEN--SOCIETIES AND CLUBS
Zaha Court #72 (Daughters of Isis) (Omaha, Neb.)
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