SLS 16RS-225 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 74
BY SENATOR PETERSON
COMMENDATIONS. Recognizes the 2016 Elks Grand Lodge Convention Local
Committee of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World 117th Elks
Grand Lodge and 113th Grand Temple Daughters of Elks International Convention.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To recognize and celebrate the 2016 Elks Grand Lodge Convention Local Committee of the
3 Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World (IBPOEW)117th Elks
4 Grand Lodge and 113th Grand Temple Daughters of Elks International Convention
5 to be held on August 13, 2016, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
6 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
7 recognizes the convention to be held on August 13, 2016, honoring the 2016 Elks Grand
8 Lodge Committee of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World
9 (IBPOEW)117th Elks Grand Lodge and 113th Grand Temple Daughters of Elks
10 International Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana; and
11 WHEREAS, fraternal organizations are popular among African Americans for the
12 same reasons they prove to be popular among all Americans: by providing financial,
13 spiritual, and emotional aid, and they are all invaluable to the communities they serve; and
14 WHEREAS, African American fraternities have played a vital role in the African
15 American experience and have had the added purpose of improving self-esteem; first
16 instituted during slavery, the membership, rituals, uniforms, and offices of these societies
17 generated a respect not available outside of the lodges at the time; they have always been
18 fully committed to economic, personal, and academic advancement; and
Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 74
SLS 16RS-225 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, one organization is the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of
2 the Elks of the World (IBPOEW), granted a copyright as an organization on September 28,
3 1898, in Cincinnati, Ohio and currently boasts over half a million members in over one
4 thousand five hundred lodges worldwide; and
5 WHEREAS, on June 13, 1902, Emma Virginia Kelley organized the Daughters of
6 Elks in Norfolk, Virginia; this group was later adopted by the Grand Lodge and became an
7 auxiliary body to the Brothers of Elks, the first Temple was Norfolk Temple No. 1, Norfolk,
8 Virginia; and
9 WHEREAS, a pullman porter, Arthur James Riggs, and Benjamin Franklin Howard,
10 both members of another fraternal organization for people of color, realized their dreams and
11 plans when the first lodge, Alpha Lodge No. 1, was organized in Cincinnati, as a result of
12 the efforts of these two men; and
13 WHEREAS, today it is the largest black fraternal organization in the world and its
14 stated purpose is that the welfare and happiness of its members be promoted and enhanced,
15 that nobleness of soul and goodness of heart be cultivated, that the principles of charity,
16 justice, brotherly/sisterly love and fidelity be inculcated, that its members and their families
17 be assisted and protected, and that the spirit of patriotism be enlivened and exalted; and
18 WHEREAS, the order is best known for its education department, which over the
19 years has given millions of dollars in scholarships to youth of all races, and has conducted
20 annual oratorical contests, held on local, state, regional, and national levels which throughout
21 its history have included many notables, such as, Justice Thurgood Marshall, McDonald
22 Henry, the former Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel
23 Peace Prize winner, Mary Beth Bethune, Dr. Benjamin Hooks and Oprah Winfrey, author,
24 actress/producer, media proprietor, talk show host, and philanthropist; and
25 WHEREAS, a few of the major departments of the Elks are the Grand Lodge
26 education department, history department, medical department, veterans affairs department,
27 national youth department, civil department, and through the efforts of its members and
28 various departments, the Elks sponsor extensive educational scholarship programs, youth
29 summer computer literacy camps, and help children with special needs, with parades and
30 with unequaled community service activities throughout the world; and
Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 74
SLS 16RS-225 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
2 and the overall vitality of American society depend in great measure upon organizations like
3 these.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
5 does hereby recognize and celebrate the 2016 Elks Grand Lodge Convention Local
6 Committee of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World (IBPOEW)
7 117th Elks Grand Lodge and 113th Grand Temple Daughters of Elks International
8 Convention to be held on August 13, 2016, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
10 Elks Grand Lodge Convention Local Committee of the Improved Benevolent and Protective
11 Order for the Elks International Convention.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tammy Crain Waldrop.
DIGEST
SR 74 Original 2016 Regular Session Peterson
Recognizes and celebrates the 2016 Elks Grand Lodge Convention Local Committee of the
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World (IBPOEW)117th Elks Grand
Lodge and 113th Grand Temple Daughters of Elks International Convention to be held on
August 13, 2016, in New Orleans.
Page 3 of 3