LEGACY &
LASTING INSTITUTIONS
Black benevolent societies have had a considerable impact on the progression of the black community since the 1800s. Below are institutions born almost directly out of the sructures of black benevolent societies.
BLACK INSURANCE COMPANIES
Many benevolent societies evolved into insurance companies in the history of the nation. The National Life and Accident Insurance Company of Nashville, Tennessee, for example, evolved from the National Sick and Accident Association of Huntsville, Alabama. Importantly, the knowledge and experience gained by operating a benevolent society was vital to blacks because of their generally low educational status and because they had no previous experience in the insurance business. In contrast, whites had successfully operated insurance companies in Alabama since the 1830s (Spenser).
BLACK CHURCHES
The importance of black churches to free blacks cannot be overstated. Interestingly enough, many prominent black churches formed emerged out of black benevolent societies. For example, The Free African Society was organized in December of 1787 and eventually became an independent black nondenominational church. Free Africans would also organize the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in 1794. Members of that same society also founded Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church during the same year (Organizing the Community). Additionally, in Newport, the African Union Society evolved over time into the Union Congregational Church (Harris).
BLACK GREEK LETTER ORGANIZATIONS
BGLOs bore incredible resemblance to black benevolent societies, both in structure and in purpose, when they began forming in the early 20th century. Many schoalrs beleive it is likely "they employed some of the same practices and rituals of these societies." Like benevolent societies, BGLOs formed with a "multidimensional purpose in mind, including mutual support in a racially hostile environment and racial uplift". Many of the founders of the first BGLO, Alpha Phi Alpha were also members of benevolent societies or sons of members. (Brown et. al)
