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82nd ANNUAL IMPERIAL COUNCIL SESSION August 17-23, 1975 Roosevelt-Fairmont Hotel New Orleans, La. [[Image – black & white photograph of serious, pleasant looking man wearing a fez with a tassel on the right side, the words SAHARA 2 atop the sword, crescent, and star symbol of the Shriners]] [[caption – "Noble Marshall S. Johnson, from Sahara Temple 2 in Pittsburgh, Pa.Johnson, the newly elected Imperial Potentate of the AEAONMS, North and South America and its jurisdiction, Inc., is set to preside over the week-long 82nd annual Imperial Council session, set for the Roosevelt-Fairmount Hotel in downtown New Orleans, La dot, from August 17 through August 23, 1975."[[/caption]] When the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South America and its jurisdiction Incorporated, holds its 82nd annual Imperial Council and its 64th annual Imperial Court session, in downtown New Orleans, La. 1975. The organization will be headed by one of the nation's outstanding Prince Hall masons. He is the honorable Marshall S. Johnson of Sahara Temple 2, Pittsburgh, Penna., the Imperial Potentate, who will preside over all of the business sessions of the council held in the Southern city in August of 1975. Johnson is the new head of the predominantly Black fraternal organization and was elected its 22nd Imperial Potentate at the annual session held in August of 1974 in Philadelphia, Penna. He replaced Noble John W. Edghill of New York City, who had served the organization for a two-year period. Johnson is now leader of this worldwide fraternal Prince Hall Shrine group which has a membership of approximately 40,000 in some 190 PH shrine temples and 160 PH courts, its women's auxiliary, all over America and overseas in the Bahama islands, Canada, Germany, and Japan. Its shrine clubs, an auxiliary of Shrine temples worldwide, are also located in Bahamas, Belgium, England, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, and Japan. In recent interview with news media personnel, Johnson noted that his organization is primarily a benevolent, charitable and fraternal organization. Its membership is dedicated to the principal of fostering civic, economic and educational development programs throughout the world. In the interview, he outlined some of the programs the Fraternal order have fostered in recent months. They included but are not limited to the following: -annual grants of thousands of dollars to the Prince Hall Shrine Health and Medical Research Foundation, formerly known as the T.B. and Cancer Research Foundation; -annual grants of $5,000 each to several institutions of higher learning and to hospitals throughout the land for medical and other research projects; -a national scholarship grant program for young ladies between the ages of 17-24 to attend colleges and universities of their choice; -a $20,000 annual grant for special cholarships [[scholarships]] to economically deprived youths of the nation; -a program of financial aid to youths in their fight against drugs, crimes and delinquency in the streets; -establishment of the maintaining dialogue with White House officials, congressmen, and national leaders in Washington and elsewhere on various issues affecting blacks, other minorities and poor blacks and whites; -voters registration drives; -and sponsorship of the Fish Bowl football classic in Portsmouth, Va. Under the leadership and direction of Prince Hall Shriners and Daughters of Isis members in Arabic Temple 12 and Arabic Court 23, this fish bowl football classic is one of the outstanding promotional projects of Prince Hall Shriners in the world. Net proceeds from this annual project is donated to the Prince Hall Shrine health and medical research foundation, which in turn present the funds to medical research at hospitals and other medical research centers throughout the country. ...In addition to programs and projects already outlined, several others have been established by the Imperial Potentate and are included in this administration as a part of his community action involvement program. These include but are not limited to: -Upgrading of the Imperial Council of Shriners' National Scholarship awarded to Black youths who lack educational funds from its present level of $20,000 annually to an amount to be determined by the National Imperial Council Talent and Pageant Scholarship Program Committee; -Creation of an Annual Kiddie Program by which Prince Hall Shrine Temples would sponsor the attendance of school age children to circuses, fairs, and similar fun projects on an annual basis; -A program of financial aid to youths in their continued fight against drug abuse, drug addiction, crime and delinquency; - Sponsorship or fully equipped rooms in local hospitals, donated by Prince Hall Shrine Temples and Courts; — Establishment of at least four Shrine Clubs within each state or desert; — A rejuvenated program of Public Relations and Publicity, worldwide, to inform the membership and the general public that Prince Hall Shriners are fraternally minded, influential and well respected citizens in their local communities. For this task, Imperial Potentate Edghill has selected Noble Bossie Benjamin Simmons, a Past Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Virginia, for the job. Simmons is presently serving as the director of community relations at Virginia State College, Petersburg, Va. —Establishment of a national archive That and a Prince Hall Shrine building in Washington, D.C., to how is our national historical records of past years; and — Implementation of a Program of Action to present "Noble of the Year," "Potentate of the Year," "Deputy of the Oasis of the Year," and Deputy of the Desert of the Year," annual Certificate of merit awards; Johnson is no newcomer to the Prince Hall family of masons in America. He is well known nationwide as an outstanding fraternal man. His masonic records over the years speak for itself. He has held leadership positions in all branches of masonry up to and including the 33rd and last degree. He is a Pastmaster of St. Cyprian-Alpha Lodge 13 the oldest (125 years) Prince Hall masonic lodge west of the Allegheny; Past Thrice Potent Master of Pythagaros Lodge of Perfection; Past Most Wise and Perfect Master of Queen Ester Chapter of Rose Croix; Past Commander-in-Chief of Saint Cyprian Consistory 4; Past Illustrious Potentate of Sahara Temple 2; Past President of the 7th Masonic District Council of the MWPHGL of Pennsylvania, serving for three consecutive terms, and a past treasurer of this organization. He is also a Coordinator of the "Big Four," a coalition comprising 38 Prince Hall masonic lodges in the 7th, 8th, 10, and 11th masonic districts of Penna., located in Pittsburgh and points West. In 1955, the newly elected Imperial Potentate organized the Department of Recreation in the Imperial Council of Prince Hall Shriners. He served as Dir. of this department for 13 years. He also has served as a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, a member of the program committee and as one of the original members of the Convention Department. In 1972, Imperial Potentate Johnson was elevated to the 33rd and last degree of freemasonry at the 90th annual session of the United Supreme Council. One year prior to his elevation, he was named by Saint Cyprian Consistory as the outstanding Sublime Prince of the year and was presented the William T. Poole award which cited him for rendering the most outstanding, unselfish and distinguished service to the community during eight 12-month period. In civic, community, and religious activities, Imperial Potentate Johnson is a member of Big Brothers of Alleghany, a member of the local alumni chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a member of the Hall Of Famen United Golfers Assoc. The newly elected Imperial Potentate attended school in his hometown, was a star basketball and football player, and then went to Lincoln University near Philadelphia, where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in education, majoring in History with a minor in English. Since graduating from college, Imperial Potentate Johnson has served as an enumerator for the U.S.Bureau of Census, as a probation officer for the juvenille and domestic courts of Alleghany County, and as superintendent of several postal stations in and around the Pittsburgh, Penna. area. Johnson's wife is the former Miss Ione Owens of Pittsburgh, who is a past president of Kappa Silhouettes, Inc., a local chapter of a national sorority. Mrs. Johnson holds membership in Rodman Street Baptist Church of Pittsburgh where Rev. George L. Bowick serves as pastor. Imperial Potentate Johnson is a member of Saint James AME church in the steel city. Rev. James Harris is his minister. Johnson is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Marshall and Mary E. (Lewis) Johnson of Connellsville, Penna. In addition to Johnson, other elected officers of the Imperial Council of Shriners are NOBLES, L.L. Melton, Beaumont, Texas, Deputy Imperial Potentate; Eugene Dickerson, Washington, D.C., Imperial Chief Rabban; Harry Smith, Toledo, Ohio, Imperial Assistant Rabban; Braswell A. Taylor, Sr., Alexandria, Va., Imperial High Priest and Prophet;Carl Wilson, Dayton, Ohio, Imperial Oriental Guide; Maceo C. Martin, Danville, Va., Imperial Treasurer; Booker T. Alexander, Detroit, Michigan, Imperial Recorder; Clarence Webb, Indianapolis, Ind., Imperial First Ceremonial Master; Earl H. Gray, Richmond, Va., Imperial Second Ceremonial Master; David Holliman, Denver, Colorado, Imperial Captain of the Guard; Roy M. More, Los Angeles, Calif., Imperial Outer Guard; Melvin Anderson, Akron, Ohio, and Leroy Nichols, Flint, Michigan, the three elected Imperial Auditors.
