Brotherhood and the Bottom Line: The Mosaic Templars of America

: Members of the Mosaic Templars of America.
2004.08.62.q, Community History Project, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Between 1865 and 1885, African Americans experienced a time of great optimism and economic opportunity. Black Americans exercised their new freedom and sought to acquire property and economic independence. The Mosaic Templars and other black fraternal organizations became increasingly popular in the 1890s as providers of mutual aid, insurance policies, and self-help programs. White-owned insurance organizations did not offer burial insurance policies to African Americans in the South, forcing many blacks to beg for money to bury their deceased family members. The Mosaic Templars sought to provide aid to the sick and offer burial and funeral insurance.

This exhibit focuses on the Mosaic Templars of America as an example of one fraternal organization that provided social, cultural, and economic assistance to blacks. Artifacts included in this exhibit are Mosaic Templars of America policies, badges and other items associated with the organization.

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