The History of the Mosaic Templars of America
The Mosaic Templars of America was established in 1883 as a fraternal organization to provide insurance and other services. The Mosaic Templars provided services to black people during the era of segregation when few basic services were available to them. By 1900, Mosaic Templars industries grew to include an insurance company, a building and loan association, a publishing company, a business college, a nursing school and a hospital. Construction of the Mosaic Templars National Headquarters Building was completed in 1913 and housed Mosaic Templars offices as well as other businesses. For more information on the history of the building, visit the website of the Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society.
The Mosaic Templars of America is now recognized as one of the great endeavors in the history of the State and Little Rock. For nearly forty years, the Mosaic Templars' Headquarters Building was the anchor of the thriving black social and economic district on Ninth Street. The economic effect and example set by the Mosaic Templars were felt throughout the state, the nation, and beyond.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is Arkansas's state funded museum dedicated to the story of African American life and business. The Center will interpret Arkansas's African American community through exhibits, oral history interviews, public forums, and educational programming. The mission of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is to collect, preserve, interpret and celebrate Arkansas's African American history, culture, and community from 1870 to the present, and to inform and educate the public about black achievement - especially in business, politics, and the arts.