Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida and has over 200 chapters across nine countries, with a global membership of nearly 200,000 "Shriners". The organization is known for its colorful Middle Eastern theme, elaborate participation in parades and festivals, and the Shriners Children's network of nonprofit pediatric medical facilities.
The fez, also called tarboosh/tarboush, is a felt headdress in the shape of a short, cylindrical, peakless hat, usually red, typically with a black tassel attached to the top. The name "fez" may refer to the Moroccan city of Fez, where the dye to color the hat was extracted from crimson berries. However, its origins are disputed.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".
Epsilon Sigma Alpha International (ΕΣΑ) is an International community and collegiate coeducational service organization. Established in 1929, Epsilon Sigma Alpha is a network of an estimated 10,000 members in over 1,000 community-based chapters, with coordinating organizations at state and international levels. ΕΣΑ also includes United States collegiate chapters that provide charitable service to their campuses and communities.
Fraternal Order Orioles is a social and charitable organization that was founded in August 1910. The organization currently consists of about 54 local Nests and affiliated Auxiliaries located in 9 states in the eastern United States.
There are many organisations and orders which form part of the widespread fraternity of Freemasonry, each having its own structure and terminology. Collectively these may be referred to as Masonic bodies, Masonic orders, Concordant bodies or appendant bodies of Freemasonry.
Freemasonry has had a complex relationship with women for centuries. A few women were involved in Freemasonry before the 18th century, despite de jure prohibitions in the Premier Grand Lodge of England.
A mystic society is a Mardi Gras social organization in Mobile, Alabama, that presents parades and/or balls for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. The New Orleans Krewe is patterned after Mobile's Mystics. The societies have been based in class, economic and racial groups. Mobile's parading mystic societies build colorful Carnival floats and create costumes around each year's themes.
The Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs (MJLA) was the governmental body in the Sultanate of Oman that is responsible for drafting legislation and providing other government bodies with legal advice. It was a distinct body from the Ministry of Justice and the Public Prosecution, and they were both merged into the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs in August 2020.
Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York, 397 U.S. 664 (1970), was a case before the United States Supreme Court. The Court held that grants of tax exemption to religious organizations do not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It was the first case to articulate the "excessive entanglement doctrine" that one year later became the third prong of the Lemon test.
The Imperial Order of Muscovites was an unofficial, unrecognized appendant body to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in the United States, founded in 1894 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and lasting until about 1921.
The Woodlawn Preserve is a patch of the Albany Pine Bush in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the city of Schenectady, New York. It is the only remaining example of this rare ecosystem in that area, a combination of swamp, wetlands, water bodies, and dune vegetation, and one of the most biologically diverse parcels in Schenectady County.
The Supreme Executive Order of Royal Purple (OORP) was a Canadian fraternal and charitable organization for women. It was the official female auxiliary of the Elks of Canada. It was also called the Royal Purple of Canada and the Order of Royal Purple. The order ended its affiliation with the Elks in 2014 and became a new organization, the Canadian Royal Purple Society.
Betty Bone Schiess was an American Episcopal priest. She was one of the first female Episcopal priests in the United States, and a member of the Philadelphia Eleven: leaders of the movement to allow the ordination of women in the American Episcopal Church.
The Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (AMOS) is an unofficial appendant body of all Odd Fellows. It is recognized as the "playground for Odd Fellowship", (comparable to The "Shriners" within Freemasonry) and is known for engaging in public and private hijinks and spectacle, all in the name of good, clean fun. AMOS is open to male Odd Fellows in good standing over the age of 18 but has a close relationship with Ladies of the Orient ("LOTO"), which is only open to women. The two organizations typically meet at the same time and share in social events with each other. Like many other primarily social appendant bodies to fraternal organizations, the rituals and initiations of AMOS have a Middle-Eastern theme and the official regalia is a fez.
Ken "Kenny" Meahl is a retired American Modified racing driver. He was the driver for teen car owner Jerry Cook for several years before the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver came of age.
