African American fraternal orders helped shape Black communities and U.S. race relations from the mid-1800s to the present. At this site developed by Professor Theda Skocpol at Harvard University you can learn about the origins, development, and characteristics of dozens of fraternal orders joined and led by Black Americans from all walks of life, including everyday laborers, homemakers, and farmers, working alongside religious leaders, business owners, lawyers and doctors. These fraternal orders tied local lodges in city neighborhoods, towns, and rural hamlets to encompassing federated organizations that spanned metropolitan areas, states, regions, and sometimes dozens of U.S. states. Some also included lodges in Canada, the Caribbean, Liberia, and other international jurisdictions. Women played strong roles in this realm of Black civic life, and many of the fraternal orders profiled here challenged white supremacy and made vital contributions to the quest for Black empowerment and racial justice in the United States.