Arabia Court No. 23 D.O.I.

Noble John W. Barnes, Deputy of the Desert of Virginia, organized Arabia Court No. 23, D.O.I., Oasis of Portsmouth, Desert of Virginia in 1912.  He served as the first Court Advisor for 20 years (1921-1941).  The Daughters worked diligently building the Court’s membership while progressing in 1921 until some of the members disregarded the edicts and standards established by the Imperial Court.  The founders believed that no mandate of the Imperial Court should be violated, thus, Arabia Court No. 23 was suspended and the Charter revoked.

Noble Barnes did not give up; he worked untiringly to interest those women with the proper affiliation to become D.O.I..  In 1924, while attending the Imperial Session held in Pittsburgh, PA, Noble Barnes petitioned to have the Court reinstated.   Having reached the necessary requirements of the Constitution and By-Laws of a Subordinate Court to function, he paid the fifteen ($15.00) dollar fee for the three years the Court was inactive, in addition to the one-year Per Capita Tax.  On August 18, 1924, Arabia Court No. 23 was reinstated. 

 

The first officers to serve after the August 18, 1924, reinstatement were Illustrious Commandress Dt. Luda Brown; 1st Lieutenant Commandress Dt. Catherine Turner; 2nd Lieutenant Commandress Dt. Clara M. Brown; Recordress Dt. Matilda Clark; Treasurer Dt. Beulah Cheatham; Imperial Deputy of the Oasis Dt. Nellie Dillard.  Other members were: Dts. Nannie Billups, Marion Mason, Bessie Charity, and Mamie Vaughan.  These Daughters worked diligently in resurrecting the growth of Arabia Court No. 23.

 

However, around 1938 there was an ebb in the membership of Arabia Court No. 23.  A handful of Daughters were struggling to hold on.  Noble Barnes brought this plight to the attention of Bishop Howard Z. Plummer.  Bishop Plummer, who was also a Noble, immediately encouraged ladies in his congregation with the proper affiliation to join the Daughters of Isis.  These ladies were: Beatrice Plummer (wife of Bishop Plummer), Mary F. Hill (who is now Mary F. Keeling, the only living Daughter of these ladies, who joined in 1938), Hattie O. Hill (Dt. Keeling's mother), Elsie McGhee (Dt. Keeling’s aunt), Mamie Elam, Lettie Swan, Annie Swan, Rachel Crowdy, and Sarah Ringwood (her daughter Leah Fish Bowl Queen 1956).  Once again, the Court began to grow in membership and with new ideas. 

 

Arabia Court No. 23 has continued to grow through the years, dedicated to the work of helping the poor, helping to eradicate illiteracy, and eliminating disease through research.  The Daughters have been zealous in assisting and supporting the Nobles of Arabia Temple No. 12 in various activities such as: the Annual Christmas Party for underprivileged children, Administrator for Queen Contestants during the Annual Fish Bowl Classic, working hand-in-hand with the Arabia Temple Building Fund as well as many other activities.      

 

The first Annual Fish Bowl Classic was held in 1937.  In 1946, Dt. Ethel Robinson was the first Daughter to be crowned “Fish Bowl Queen.”  After 1946, Dtrs. Dorothy N. Chappell (1949), Mary F. Keeling (1953), Carrie Brooks (1961), Cynthia Perry (1965), Edith Britton (1967), Mildred C. West (1977), Blondell Hardie (1978), Bettie C. Hampton (1990), Mary E. Hargrove (1991), Lenora A. Bell (1992), Mary E. Slade (1993), Cheryl R. Wiggins (2000), Jacqueline M. Artis (2002), Phyllis S. Coley (2004), Thea V. O’Neal (2005), Angela B. Lee (2008), and Kendra Cherry (2009) were crowned “Fish Bowl Queen” in their respective years.

 

To have an Arabia Court No. 23 queen, the Court established the “Queen Isis” contest in 1978.  This competitive contest allowed Daughters who raised the most money for the Court in a timely fashion to be crowned “Queen Isis.”  Daughters crowned “Queen Isis” were Shirley Hopkins (1978), Lurline Robinson (1979), Ruth Horne (1981), Mary B. Jenkins (1983), Mary Slade (1985), Ruth Kates (1988), Elaine L. Harrison (1990), Lolita Horn-Fletcher (1993), Elvira T. Tillery (1995), Louise Sutton (1996), Marjorie H. Holley (1997), Sarah Costen (1998), Bernice Walker (2000), Lorraine Donald-Epps (2002), Shirley E. Mosely (2003), Mary Forbes (2004), Frances Brooks (2006), Demetria Pringle (2007), Ellen Copeland (2008), Jacqueline M. Artis (2010), Katina Stanley (2011), Gloria Cole (2012), Phyllis Coley (2013) and Nancy Hawkins (2014).

 

In 2009, the Desert of Virginia resurrected the African American Heritage Queen Contest.  Dt. Sarah Elam represented Arabia Court No. 23 and was crowned the first African American Heritage Queen before the 2009 resurrection.  Dt. Jacqueline Y. Akers was crowned in 2009 and Dt. Sharon F. Cason in 2010.

 

Arabia Court No. 23's Egyptian Tea is held the 3rd Sunday in October each year.  The purpose is to exemplify the customs, history, and foods of Egypt in a profitable and enjoyable environment.  Many Daughters have won the title of “1st Place Winner” of the Egyptian Tea event.  These Daughters are Ruth C. Bellamy (1996 & 1997), Marjorie Holley (1998), Raylin Neblitt (1999 & 2000), Maurice J. Jordan (2001), Ruth C. Bellamy (2002), Anna Staton (2003, 2004 & 2005), Anna Elliott (2006, 2007 & 2008), Sharon F. Cason (2009 & 2010), Katina Stanley (2011 &2012), Melody Bell (2013) and Vera Foster (2014).

 

The Daughters of Arabia Court No. 23 have dedicated themselves to community outreach by contributing to various charities.  Yearly donations are made to the March of Dimes, Portsmouth YMCA, Virginia Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America, Sickle Cell Association, Joy Fund, Cancer Awareness Fund, American Lung Association, United Negro College Fund, American Cancer Society, YWCA of Hampton Roads, Toys for Tots and local college scholarships.

 

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the Daughters of Arabia Court No. 23 donate baskets to area needy families.  Over the years, our Chantresses-Voices Through Song, have rendered their service in Hampton Roads at area nursing homes.  Since 1982, the Joint Recreation Department of Arabia Court No. 23 and Arabia Temple No. 12 have hosted a pre-Thanksgiving Senior Citizens Dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Arabia Court No. 23 holds a standing life membership with the NAACP.  On November 17, 2012 the Portsmouth NAACP Branch presented Arabia Court No. 23 with the Economic Development Minority Challenge Award, in recognition of exemplary community service efforts.

 

Additionally, Arabia Court No. 23 sponsors “The Isiserettes,” which develop cultural, educational, and civic programs for the advancement of our young girls ages seven to seventeen.   Daughters also participate with the DIMES Mentoring Program each month. The Scholarship Committee works to raise funds to annually give a scholarship(s) to a qualified first time undergraduate student at a college or university.  Daughters of Arabia Court No. 23 yearly participate in the annual Relay for Life cancer walk held at Tidewater Community College, Portsmouth Campus.  More importantly, the Daughters visit and carry spiritual tokens of love to the sick, shut-in and distressed of the Court as well as individuals in the community.