South Carolina Association of B'nai B'rith Lodges records, 1940-1997

Mailing Address:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Library
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: South Carolina Association of B'nai B'rith Lodges records

Collection #: Mss 1037

Dates: 1940-1997

Size: .25 linear ft.

Biographical Note: The oldest and largest Jewish service and fraternal organization in America, The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith was formed in the United States in 1843. Its membership included Jewish men of all political or ideological backgrounds. The organization later included women's and youth's auxiliaries. B'nai B'rith was organized into regional and local lodges. The local lodges, formed primarily around a single community, were granted autonomy over local affairs. The B'nai B'rith lodge served as a focal point for Jewish communities across the country.

Scope and Content Note:

Collection includes correspondence, organization files, photographs, financial records, minutes, publications, programs.

Collection consists of organizational records of the South Carolina Association of B'nai B'rith Lodges (SCABBL); bulk is minutes (1948-1997) from annual conventions and quarterly executive committee meetings. Also included are minutes and programs from South Carolina State Conferences (1952, 1953) of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith; minutes from District Grand Lodge Five 85th (1961) Annual Convention; and a South Carolina B'nai B'rith newsletter (1973).

Includes remarks (typescript) made by Middle States Regional Director, Samuel Kaplan, at the 48th (1985) SCABBL Annual Convention; reports of the B'nai B'rith Secretary (national and state), 1941, 1948, 1951, 1953; lists of SCABBL past presidents and state officers, 1933-1997; SCABBL constitution (1956).

Includes planning notes (1940) from SCABBL 4th (1941) Annual Convention hosted by Dan Lodge No. 593 B'nai B'rith, Charleston, SC; Dan Lodge No. 593 address book (1944) and member list (ca. 1940s); bond certificate (1941), "The Crusade of the Double-Barred Cross Christmas Seal Bond"; planning notes (1940) for Dan Lodge No. 593 Annual Ball.

Inventory:

			Box#/Folder#
I.		Organizational Records

	A.	#1 1948-1952: Minutes of business session, 11^th (1948) Annual S.C. B’nai B’rith Convention; minutes from executive committee meetings; minutes of 13^th(1950) Annual State Convention; minutes of the 15^th (1952) Annual State Convention; president’s report (1952) of proceedings of the S.C. State Conference Anti-defamation League of B’nai B’rith.	1/1

	B.	#2 1952-1954: Report (1953) of Proceedings of the S.C. State Conference Anti-defamation League of B’nai B’rith, mentions national and state incidences of discrimination including Supreme Court case on segregation in public schools; minutes from executive committee meetings; minutes from 16^th(1953) Annual State Convention and president’s report to convention; special Publications Committee report re. Citizen of the Year award; financial statement (1953); committee reports (BBYO, Americanisms and Civic Affairs, State Veterans Affairs); typescript re. Brandeis University scholarship sponsored by B’nai B’rith; report of Hillel Committee to 16^th (1953) Annual State Convention; minutes from the 17^th (1954) Annual State Convention and resolutions adopted at convention.	1/2

	C.	#3 1956-1957: minutes from executive committee meetings; SCABBL directories (1956-1957 and1957-1958); list of new officers, 1956-1957; minutes from 20^th(1957) Annual State Convention; memos to executive committee re. upcoming meetings	1/3

	D.	#4 1958-1962: booklet, "Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Josiah Morse Lodge B’nai B’rith (1936-1961); minutes and program from 21^st (1958) Annual State Convention; minutes and photographs from 22^nd(1959) Annual State Convention; minutes from executive committee meetings; budget (1960-61); program from 24^th(1961) Annual State Convention; minutes from District Grand Lodge Five 85^th Annual Convention, June 1961, Miami Beach, FL	1/4

	E.	#5 1965-1972: Minutes from 28^th(1965) Annual State Convention; program from 29^{th (}1966) Annual State Convention; minutes from executive committee meetings; minutes from 30^{th (}1967) and 31^st (1968) Annual State Conventions.	1/5

	F.	#6 1973-1985: Minutes from 36^th (1973) Annual State Convention; minutes from executive committee meetings; newsletter (1973) for the S.C. Association of B’nai B’rith Lodges; list (1974-1975) of S.C. B’nai B’rith committees and members; minutes of 43^rd (1980), 44^th (1981), 46^th (1983), 47^th (1984) Annual State Conventions; remarks (typescript) made by Samuel Kaplan, Middle States Regional Director, at 48^th (1985) Annual State Convention; list of past presidents (1936-1979) of Josiah Morse Lodge of B’nai B’rith no. 1083.	1/6

	G.	#7 1986-1994: booklet, "50 Years/Josiah Morse Lodge No. 1083, B’nai B’rith 1936-1986" and photographs from 50^th anniversary event; minutes of 50^th (1987) Annual State Convention; S.C. membership analysis report (1988); list of events held during the 50^th Anniversary Celebration of B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations (1989); program for 51st (1988) Annual State Convention; minutes from executive committee meetings; minutes of 57^th (1994) and 60th (1997) Annual State Conventions; article (photocopy) from "Jewish Monthly" (Oct. 1986) re. Seymour Reich, new president of B’nai B’rith International.	1/7

II.		Misc. B’nai B’rith Records:

	A.	Planning Notes (1940) 4^th (1941) Annual State Convention S.C. Assoc. of B’nai B’rith: hosted by Dan Lodge 593, Charleston, SC; correspondence, drafts of convention agenda, vendor information, etc. related to planning convention.	1/8

	B.	Secretary’s Report (1941, 1948, 1951, 1953): report from national convention (1941) contains membership statistics; reports (1948, 1951) of S.C. state secretary contain reports of state lodges and committees; secretary’s report to the 16^th(1953) annual convention of the S.C. Association of B’nai B’rith lodges	1/9

	C.	Constitution (1956, 1957): Constitution of South Carolina Association of B’nai B’rith Lodges (1956); constitutional changes adopted by the delegates at the District Grand Lodge Five B’nai B’rith 81^st Convention and District Grand Lodge No. 5 Constitution (1957)	1/10

	D.	Past Presidents: List of past presidents, S.C. Association of B’nai B’rith Lodges, 1933-1990; list of active and semi-active past presidents S.C. B’nai B’rith, 1971-1997; list of rotation of S.C. state officers, 1933-1994	1/11

	E.	Misc.: Address book (1944) for Dan Lodge No. 593, Charleston, SC; planning notes (1940) for Dan Lodge No. 593 B’nai B’rith Annual Ball; list (ca. 1940s) of Dan Lodge No. 593 members; bond certificate, "The Crusade of the Double-Barred Cross ($5.00) Christmas Seal Bond 1941; letterhead, S.C. Association of B’nai B’rith and Dan Lodge No. 593	1/12