Improved Order of Red Men,
Americas's Oldest Fraternal Organization Chartered by Congress.
The fraternity traces it's origin to 1765 and was originally known as the Sons of Liberty. The group was made up of patriots who concealed their identities and created an underground to establish freedom and liberty in the early Colonies. They patterned themselves after the great Iroquois
Confederacy with it's democratic governing body. Their system, with elected representatives to governing tribal councils had been in existence for several centuries. After the War of 1812 the name was changed to the Society of Red Fraternal Organizations and after that to our name today, The Improved Order of Red Men. The customs and terminology of Native
Americans are a basic part of the fraternity. Some of the words may sound strange but soon become familiar to every member.