INTERNATIONAL FREE AND ACCEPTED MODERN MASONS & ORDER OF EASTERN STAR IS A WORLDWIDE FRATERNITY, ORGANIZED JULY 1950 BY THE LATE DR. WILLIAM V. BANKS AND A HOST OF FRIENDS.

THIS FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION WAS INCORPORATED AND CHARTERED IN AUGUST 1950 IN DETROIT MICHIGAN. THIS CHARTER EMPOWERED INTERNATIONAL MASONS TO PRACTICE FREEMASONRY, AND OPERATE AS A MASONIC ORDER THROUGHT THE UNITED STATES, IT'S POSSESSIONS AND TERRITORIES. THIS AMERICAN ISSUED CHARTER EMPOWERS INTERNATIONAL MASONS TO THE SAME RIGHTS AS THOSE CHARTERS ISSUED DIRECTLY FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND OR THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE. DR. BANKS AND HIS GROUP REPRESENTED THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL MASONS AND ORDER OF EASTERN STAR; WITH THE POWER VESTED IN THEM THEY ESTABLISHED A NATIONAL JURISDICTION UNDER ST. MARK LODGE.

THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS WITHIN THE SAME YEAR THREE OTHER STATES WERE INCORPORATED, INCLUDING OHIO, NEW YORK AND ILLINOIS. IN DECEMBER OF 1950 MICHIGAN WAS THE FIRST TO ESTABLISH A GRAND LODGE. THE JUDICIARY BODY OF THE PANEL OF FIVE TRUSTEES WHO SIT WITHIN THE SUPREME BODY WITH IT'S EAST BEING DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

YOUTH CHAPTERS WERE ADDED WITH THE AUTHORITY VESTED SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF INTERNATIONAL FREE AND ACCEPTED MODERN MASONS AND ORDER OF EASTERN STAR. THIS IS MADE UP OF THE FOLLOWING THREE,  THE SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER, STATE GRAND CHAPTER, AND SUBBORDINATE CHAPTER. THE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE AN APPRENTICE WORKSHOP FOR THE YOUNG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT IN THE CHARITABLE WORK OF THE MASONIC BODY, INCLUDING CERTAIN MORAL SCIENCES, WHICH IS HIGHLY REGARDED BY OUR MASONIC ORDER.

TODAY I.F.&A.M. AND O.E.S. EXTENDS FROM COAST TO COAST, FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO THE GULF OF MEXICO TO THE BAHAMAS ISLANDS, AND ALASKA THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,000 LODGES AND CHAPTERS WITH MEMBERSHIP  OF APPROX. 500,000 ON ROLL. OUR YOUTH COURT CONSISTS OF OVER 2,000 YOUNG PEOPLE.

INTERNATIONAL MASONS IS THE GROWTH OF ANCIENT FREE MASONRY, AS ADOPTED BY MODERN MASONS IN 1717 AT THE APPLE TREE TAVERN, IN ENGLAND. IT ADHERS TO THE ANCIENT MORAL PRINCIPALS OF FREEMASONRY, BUT HAS BEEN MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME , THAT IT MAY HAVE ALL CURRENT AND MODERN BENEFITS TO BE OFFERED BY A FREEMASON FRATERNAL ORDER.

WE HAVE NO QUARRELS WITH OTHER MASONIC BODIES, AND WILL BE GLAD TO CO-OPERATE WITH THEM IN BUILDING MASONRY AS A TRUE RIGHTEOUS ORDER BASED ON THE PRINCIPALS OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN AND THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD.