Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Independent Order of St. Luke, Ms1988-121, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Independent Order of St. Luke Records was completed in April 1991. Additional work was completed in 2001.

Administrative History

The Right Worthy Grand Council Independent Order of St. Luke was established in 1867 by Mary Prout of Baltimore, Maryland. It was organized to "promote the general welfare of society by uniting fraternally Negro persons of good moral character who are physically, morally, and socially acceptable, to educate and assist its members in thrift, to create and maintain funds out of which members...may receive benefits for themselves or their beneficiaries, [and] to provide death benefit protection to members" (Rules and Regulations handbook, 1933).

Scope and Content

The bulk of the materials in the Independent Order of St. Luke Records consist of handbooks, correspondence, receipts, programs, membership records, annual reports, and assessment reports of the Order, collected primarily from members in Blacksburg, Virginia. Also includes the minutes (1920-1938) of the Blacksburg chapters of the Busy Bee and Maggie L. Walker (Secretary of the Independent Order of St. Luke) Circles.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into two series, Records and Oversize Materials, then arranged chronologically, with undated materials at the end.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• African Americans -- History
• Blacksburg (Va.)
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Independent Order of St. Luke by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).