100 years of the Friendship Chapter #2, Order of the Eastern Star
Behind-the-Scenes Family
Behind-the-Scenes Family
Back in the day, there was no such thing as a Black Santa Claus in Madison. The Eastern Stars took care of that. “The children’s
Christmas party has been going on for quite a while, probably since the 1950s,” said Cheryl Gettridge-Steele. “It’s one of the only times
that our children can come to a place and have their photo taken with an African American Santa Claus. That was something I had to
get used to, coming from New Orleans to Madison, is that there was nowhere to take your child to take a photo with a Santa Claus who
looks like them. But you can come down to 100 N. Blair Street on the second Saturday of December and find that you can get a photo
taken with a Black Santa Claus. Toys are handed out. We’ve had some parents who came back or wrote notes and said their children
wouldn’t have had any form of Christmas had it not been for the party there at the hall. They have lunch and receive a toy and they get
to take away goodies like fruit and nuts.”
Since the 1960s when African American veterans of the Vietnam War started showing up at the Middleton VA Hospital, the
Eastern Stars were there to give them the basics and their support. “In 1964, John Parrish, who was a volunteer, began to see that
there were a lot of Black soldiers coming in to Madison to use the services at the VA Hospital,” Addrena Squires said. “Because of
that, he decided that they were in need of toiletry items because the VA really didn’t have the kind of hair products and things that they
needed. It was at that time that they were having Sunday morning services. He invited the Masons and the Eastern Stars to begin
coming out to the Sunday morning services, serving coffee and donuts. Then we would bring hair products and begin to visit with the
soldiers. We’ve been doing that since 1964 at the VA. And I have been a volunteer since the beginning. In fact, I was awarded a
special award in Washington, D.C. for my volunteerism at the VA and I continue to be there every Sunday serving coffee and donuts
after the service.”
The Eastern Stars have also been engaged in social programming for youth and adults. Almost every May since 1999, the Eastern
Stars have hosted the Mothers Full of Grace awards given to African American women who have been pillars of the African American
community. And they have the Starlighters children’s group that has mentored young people, taken on trips to places like Disney World
and taught them proper grooming and other things to be self-sufficient adults.
The Eastern Stars even hosted a gospel show at Monona Terrace when they were hosting a Grand Session of all of the Orders of
Eastern Star chapters in their region. “We had Reverend Milton Bingham who is a renown artist from Savoy Records come in,”
Gettridge-Steele said. “We pulled choir members from the various Black churches in Madison. We had Second Baptist, Mt. Zion,
Fountain of Life and musicians who had never played with Milton Bingham. But musicians came in from Milwaukee. People to this day
are asking when we are going to do it again.”
The Friendship Chapter #2, Order of the Eastern Star has been a backbone of Madison’s African American community for 100
years. With the need still there, it ought to be there for the community for 100 more.
Friendship Chapter #2 of the Order of the Eastern Star will hold its 100th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, August 28, 6 p.m.
to 12 a.m. Tickets are $50. For information, call Karen Johnson at 608-692-2847.
Christmas party has been going on for quite a while, probably since the 1950s,” said Cheryl Gettridge-Steele. “It’s one of the only times
that our children can come to a place and have their photo taken with an African American Santa Claus. That was something I had to
get used to, coming from New Orleans to Madison, is that there was nowhere to take your child to take a photo with a Santa Claus who
looks like them. But you can come down to 100 N. Blair Street on the second Saturday of December and find that you can get a photo
taken with a Black Santa Claus. Toys are handed out. We’ve had some parents who came back or wrote notes and said their children
wouldn’t have had any form of Christmas had it not been for the party there at the hall. They have lunch and receive a toy and they get
to take away goodies like fruit and nuts.”
Since the 1960s when African American veterans of the Vietnam War started showing up at the Middleton VA Hospital, the
Eastern Stars were there to give them the basics and their support. “In 1964, John Parrish, who was a volunteer, began to see that
there were a lot of Black soldiers coming in to Madison to use the services at the VA Hospital,” Addrena Squires said. “Because of
that, he decided that they were in need of toiletry items because the VA really didn’t have the kind of hair products and things that they
needed. It was at that time that they were having Sunday morning services. He invited the Masons and the Eastern Stars to begin
coming out to the Sunday morning services, serving coffee and donuts. Then we would bring hair products and begin to visit with the
soldiers. We’ve been doing that since 1964 at the VA. And I have been a volunteer since the beginning. In fact, I was awarded a
special award in Washington, D.C. for my volunteerism at the VA and I continue to be there every Sunday serving coffee and donuts
after the service.”
The Eastern Stars have also been engaged in social programming for youth and adults. Almost every May since 1999, the Eastern
Stars have hosted the Mothers Full of Grace awards given to African American women who have been pillars of the African American
community. And they have the Starlighters children’s group that has mentored young people, taken on trips to places like Disney World
and taught them proper grooming and other things to be self-sufficient adults.
The Eastern Stars even hosted a gospel show at Monona Terrace when they were hosting a Grand Session of all of the Orders of
Eastern Star chapters in their region. “We had Reverend Milton Bingham who is a renown artist from Savoy Records come in,”
Gettridge-Steele said. “We pulled choir members from the various Black churches in Madison. We had Second Baptist, Mt. Zion,
Fountain of Life and musicians who had never played with Milton Bingham. But musicians came in from Milwaukee. People to this day
are asking when we are going to do it again.”
The Friendship Chapter #2, Order of the Eastern Star has been a backbone of Madison’s African American community for 100
years. With the need still there, it ought to be there for the community for 100 more.
Friendship Chapter #2 of the Order of the Eastern Star will hold its 100th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, August 28, 6 p.m.
to 12 a.m. Tickets are $50. For information, call Karen Johnson at 608-692-2847.
By Jonathan Gramling
Part 2 of 2
Back in 1910, only about 140 African Americans lived in Madison. Legal
segregation and Jim Crow were running rampant in the South and de facto
segregation, often imposed through restrictive covenants on land deeds, was in
force in the North. Employment discrimination was also rampant in the North.
Madison was no exception.
Madison’s African American community back then was composed of nuclear
and extended families. Everyone was a part of someone’s family whether it was
through blood or circumstance. People needed to band together to survive. One of the
Part 2 of 2
Back in 1910, only about 140 African Americans lived in Madison. Legal
segregation and Jim Crow were running rampant in the South and de facto
segregation, often imposed through restrictive covenants on land deeds, was in
force in the North. Employment discrimination was also rampant in the North.
Madison was no exception.
Madison’s African American community back then was composed of nuclear
and extended families. Everyone was a part of someone’s family whether it was
through blood or circumstance. People needed to band together to survive. One of the
most important ways was through the African American church. And one of
the outgrowths of the African American church in Madison — and elsewhere
— was the Friendship Chapter #2, Order of the Eastern Star, State of
Wisconsin, Prince Hall affiliation. On some levels, it was a women’s auxiliary
to Capitol Lodge #2, the African American Masonic organization in Madison.
The Eastern Stars have been a behind-the-scenes family for many African
Americans in Madison, filling voids in African American culture and traditions
in Madison. For instance, for most of its history, the Madison market has not
been able to support a restaurant with traditional Southern and soul food. On
occasion, the Eastern Stars will host a Southern breakfast at the Labor
Temple on S. Park Street or the Capital City Lodge #2 will cook barbeque
dinners for sale out of the Masonic Lodge on N. Blair Street.
The Eastern Stars have been a behind-the-scenes family for many African
Americans in Madison, filling voids in African American culture and traditions
in Madison. For instance, for most of its history, the Madison market has not
been able to support a restaurant with traditional Southern and soul food. On
occasion, the Eastern Stars will host a Southern breakfast at the Labor
Temple on S. Park Street or the Capital City Lodge #2 will cook barbeque
dinners for sale out of the Masonic Lodge on N. Blair Street.
the outgrowths of the African American church in Madison — and elsewhere
— was the Friendship Chapter #2, Order of the Eastern Star, State of
Wisconsin, Prince Hall affiliation. On some levels, it was a women’s auxiliary
to Capitol Lodge #2, the African American Masonic organization in Madison.
The Eastern Stars have been a behind-the-scenes family for many African
Americans in Madison, filling voids in African American culture and traditions
in Madison. For instance, for most of its history, the Madison market has not
been able to support a restaurant with traditional Southern and soul food. On
occasion, the Eastern Stars will host a Southern breakfast at the Labor
Temple on S. Park Street or the Capital City Lodge #2 will cook barbeque
dinners for sale out of the Masonic Lodge on N. Blair Street.
The Eastern Stars have been a behind-the-scenes family for many African
Americans in Madison, filling voids in African American culture and traditions
in Madison. For instance, for most of its history, the Madison market has not
been able to support a restaurant with traditional Southern and soul food. On
occasion, the Eastern Stars will host a Southern breakfast at the Labor
Temple on S. Park Street or the Capital City Lodge #2 will cook barbeque
dinners for sale out of the Masonic Lodge on N. Blair Street.
From upper left: Cheryl Gettridge-Steele (l) and Addrena
Squires; Members of Capital Lodge #2 at a recent
barbeque.
Squires; Members of Capital Lodge #2 at a recent
barbeque.