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History of the Imperial Court
Daughters of Isis
  After the reorganization of the Imperial Council of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Philadelphia in 1899, sentiment spread for an Auxiliary to the Council. This movement materialized in the formation of the Imperial Grand Court at Detroit, Michigan, August 23, 1910.
  The earliest printed record of the Imperial Council was of the 1907 gathering in Richmond, Virginia, and mentions a communication from Zidac Court, Philadelphia, thanking the Imperial Council for the recognition accorded them at the last session held at Philadelphia in 1906.
  A motion prevailed "authorizing the organization of Courts of the Daughters of Isis in each Oasis, the Deputies to oversee the work until further legislation could be enacted for their government".
  A committee, consisting of Nobles James O. Bampfield, A. Texas Waller, John W. Freeman, J. S. Allen, and J. C. Johnson, were named to draft a ritual and suitable regulations. This committee did not properly function and was not ready to repot at the following Annual Session, so a new committee consisting of Nobles Waller, Bampfield and John H. Murphy, Sr., were appointed and instructed "to get out the ritual as soon as possible, as there was great demand for it". The committee met March 4, 1909 at Washington, completed the Ritual and authorized its publication and distribution. The committee also formulated 'Rules and Regulations'. Noble A. T. Waller is credited with the arrangement of the ritual.
  Charters were granted to Alexandria No. 1, Baltimore; Oasis No, 2, Washington: Egyptian No. 5, Los Angeles; Allah No. 6, Kansas City, Mo; Fezzanesse No. 7, St. Paul, Minn.; Zenobia No. 8, Providence, R.I.; Palestine No. 9, Pittsburgh; Syria No. 10, Boston during 1908-09.
  At the Newark Session in 1909, a committee of Daughters, presented petitions, requesting that that Shrines form and establish them as a Grand Body, the same to be governed by the Imperial Council.
  The committee, consisted of Hannah M. Brown, Chairman; Ester Wilson. Lucy A. Blackburn, Secretary, represented Rhode Island, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The Imperial Council passed a motion "That the Daughters of Isis meet at the next Annual Session of the Imperial Council for the purpose of organizing a Grand Court and that each Court be so notified".
  During Sessions at Detroit in (1910), the Imperial Council suspended business long enough to go to 153 Gratiot Avenue, where they proceeded to organize and institute the Grand Court-Daughters of Isis. Noble Jacob F. Wrgiht, Imperial Potentate, presided. The object of the order were set forth by Noble Waller, Noble Jose H. Sherwood, St. Paul, Minnesota, nominated Noble George L, Hogg of St. Paul for Temporary Secretary. There were no other nominations. Twelve Courts were represented: Alexandria No. 1, Oasis No. 2, Egyptian No. 5, Allah No. 6, Fezzanesse No. 7, Zenobia No. 8, Palestine No. 9, Syria No. 10, Naja No. 11, Moslem No. 12, Pyramid No. 13, and Medinah No. 15. Credentials from Isis No. 16 were not accepted since they named a Noble to represent the Court.
  The Imperial Potentate ruled that all delegates present should be given the title of Past Commandress. Later Daughter Laura Williams offered a motion that all Daughters present at the formation of the Grand Court be endowed with the title of Past Commandress. The motion prevailed.
  The following officers were elected: Daughters Emma Golden, Grand Commandresses: Ida C. Scott, First Lieutenant Commandress; S. Jane Waller, Second Lieutenant Commandress; Cassie Melker, High Priestess; Jennie Neal, Oriental Guide; Esther Wilson, Treasurer; Laura Williams; Recordress. Appointed officers were Daughters Mary E. Taylor, First Ceremonial Daughter; Frances Butler, Second Ceremonial Daughter; Martha L. White, Inside Spy and Sarah A. Humphrey, Outside Spy. In addition to the above named officers, the following were among the Charter members of the Grand Court; Daughters M. E. Thompson, Mary I. Miller, Minnie E. Lewis, Minnie L. Frazier, Ursula Hines, Ella S. Johnson, Harriet Sherwood, Lillie Thompson, Agnes Moore, Cordelia E. Hawkins, M. E. Green, Mary A. Simmons, A. E. Goldston, Richie Cole, A. A. Edwards, and A. J. Duffin. Noble Jacob F. Wright installed the officers and declared the Imperial Court, Daughters of Isis duly installed and ready for business. 
  Imperial Grand Commandress Emma Golden assumed the chair and the Daughters of Isis launched out on the sea of adventure.
  Daughter Golden served the year 1910-11. Daughter Laura Williams served as Imperial Commandress in 1911-12; Mary I. Miller, 1912-13; Cassie Walker, 1913-15; Bessiella Smith, 1815-16. Daughter Annie B. Groves began serving in 1916, then during World War I when no meeting were held she remained to 1920. Daughter E. W. Goldston served 1920-22; the following Imperial Commandresses have served years as stated: Frances Butler, 1922-23;
Ursula Hines Botts, 1923-25; Elizabeth Graves, 1925-27; Anna J. Berry, 1927-29; Lillie E. Powell, 1929-32; Allice Philips Campbell, 1932-34; Sally M. Stockton, 1934-37; T. Carter Brown 1937-39; Willie J. Britton, 1939-42; Boula L. McKay, 1942-48 and Ercelle Harmon Moore, 1948-66.
  Great contributions were made by the Past Imperial Commandress toward the growth and success of the Imperial Court-Daughters of Isis.
  There are three living Past Imperial Comandresses-Daughter Ursuls Hines Botts in Minneapolis, Minn. Daughter Beula L. McKay in Oklahoma City, Okla, and Daughter Ercelle Harmon Moore in Buffalo, N.Y.
  The present Imperial Commandress is Daughter Wilhelmina Lewis Means, Maracci Court No. 32, Detroit, Michigan and elected officers of the Imperial Court in addition to Daughter Means are: Daughters Eliza M. Coleman, Rissah No. 80, Natchez, Miss; Gladys W. Dixon, Jerusalem No. 1, Baltimore, Md.; Luculle I. Boyd, Moussa No. 119; San Antonio, Texas; Sally Berry, Sinai No. 35, Cincinnati Ohio; Thema M. Gordon, Abdul No. 87, Huntingtion, W. Va.; Beatrice F. Sexton, Emith No. 18, Wichita, Kansas, Dorothy M. Jenkins, Marracci No, 32, Detroit, Michigan; Edna M. Center, Egyptian No. 5, Los Angeles, California,; Anita G. Adams, Mizarim No. 110, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama; Anne M. Bolden, Arabic No. 95, New Haven, Conn.; Amanda Wilmer, Allah No.6, Kansas City, Missouri.
  The Imperial Court missed meeting in 1945 because of World War II. An executive session held, however, and a law was instituted to make all Court names correspond to that of their respected Temples. Some of the Courts had to change names and all Fezzes had to have their new name by the 1947 Imperial Court Session.
  Of the 12 Courts of 1910 there are now 137 Courts in most States including Alaska. The Imperial Court hold Life Membership in the N.A.A.C.P. participates 100% in the Shrine Tuberculosis and Cancer Research Foundation and actively participated in the National Foundation March of Dimes. A new project institute by Daughters Means is the Isis Educational Project, tuoring young people in the various Oases and scholarships presented from the Imperial Court.