History
What is Imperial Session?
Every summer, Shriners from around the world come together for their annual business meeting, known as Imperial Session. During the week-long event, held in a different host city each year, members meet to discuss and vote on business matters of Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. The fraternity also hosts a variety of fun events including a parade and unit competitions. Other traditional events include a pageant for the incoming Imperial Potentate and the debut of the new patient success video and introduction of the National Patient Ambassadors.
History of Imperial Session
1876
The first Imperial Session was held at the Masonic Hall in New York City with only 20 Nobles in attendance. It was at this meeting that a group of men were endowed with rights and privileges to advance the “Order of the Mystic Shrine” and create subordinate Temples. A fee of $50 was instituted for charter of a new Temple with a $10 annual temple tax to the Imperial Council. Dr. Walter M. Fleming was appointed the Grand Imperial Potentate and he, along with three other members, formed the Imperial Grand Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for the United States of America
1877
The legend of the origins of the fraternity began at the 2nd Imperial Session held at the Masonic Temple in Albany, New York. It was here that the near-Eastern theme of the Shriners was established. The costumes and jewels of the Imperial Potentate and subordinate officers were prescribed, and each temple was required to adopt an Arabian or Egyptian name.
1886
The 11th Imperial Session was held in Cleveland, Ohio, the first to be held outside of New York state. Sam Briggs of Al Koran Shriners was elected Imperial Potentate, only the second in the organization’s history, after Dr. Walter Fleming had served in that role for 10 years. Prior to being elected to the Imperial Council, Briggs had served as Potentate of Al Koran Shriners for 25 years.
1887
The grandeur, festivities and tradition of Imperial Session began at this Session, held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Three hundred nobles attended a banquet that Indianapolis News said was “the most elaborate ever laid in Indiana.” It was followed by a procession of Shriners in fezzes and evening attire to the Scottish Rite temple.
1888
The 13th Imperial Session was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where Rameses Shriners had just been chartered the year before. Shriners, and for the first time, their ladies arrived in Toronto by the hundreds on trains. Rameses rented a Lake Steamer for moonlight cruises on Lake Erie.
1900
At the 26th Imperial Session in Washington, D.C., an Arabic band marched Imperial Potentate John H. Atwood to the headquarters hotel where they proceeded to play for hours in the lobby. This established the ongoing tradition of bands playing in the hotels at Imperial Session.
1907
Immediately following the 33rd Imperial Session in Los Angeles, California, an excursion train carrying Shriners from Ismailia and Rajah Shriners headed north to visit Santa Barbara. The train then left for San Francisco. 70 miles into the journey the train derailed and crashed, killing 37 and injuring 50, many of them nobles and ladies.
1917
Due to the United States’ impending involvement in the first World War, the 43rd Imperial Session in Minneapolis, Minnesota was dedicated solely to business. Many temple units which had raised funds for their trip turned them over to various war relief societies.
1918
During the 44th Imperial Session in Atlantic City, New Jersey, German submarine U-151 attacked and sank passenger steamer SS Carolina, ordering all aboard onto life boats. After 44 hours at sea, one boat made it to the coast of Atlantic City, and Shriners in full regalia waded into the ocean to help pull the boat to shore. LuLu Shriners band, who had been playing on the boardwalk and had been among those that helped, struck up the "Star Spangled Banner" as the crowd cheered and wept. The accompanying photo is of a member of LuLu shaking hands with the survivors.
1919-1920
At the 45th Imperial Session in Indianapolis, Indiana, Imperial Potentate Freeland Kendrick encouraged Philip D. Gordon of Karnak Shriners to propose a resolution to create a home to help "less fortunate children." The resolution didn't pass. At the 46th Session in Portland, Oregon, Kendrick proposed building a hospital to provide care for children with disabilities, recommending that the funding for the hospital come from an annual $2 per capita tax to fraternity members, and that it would be called Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children.
1920
Many Shriners expressed doubts about the feasibility of successfully running a children's hospital. The prospects of the plan being approved were fading when Noble Forrest Adair of Yaarab Shriners rose to speak. He pointedly addressed the nobles' concerns and gave an inspiring monologue that is now referred to as the "Bubbles Speech" after a song called "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" that he heard the previous night. Adair said, "I wondered if there were not a deep significance in the tune that he was playing for Shriners. While we have spent money for songs and spent money for bands, it is time for the Shriners to spend money for humanity.
1921
At the 47th Imperial Session in Des Moines, Iowa, Forrest Adair of "Bubbles Speech" fame brought a new resolution: that they elect a new committee of seven Shriners to select and purchase sites, and erect and maintain hospitals throughout North America. The rules and requirements for patients would be: No patient would pay, the child must be no older than 14 years old, and, in the opinion of the doctors must have a reasonable chance of being helped. The hospitals would treat orthopedic conditions only and would care for all children in need regardless of their religion or nationality. The resolution passed, and Shriners Children's was born.
1945
Due to World War II, the 71st Imperial Session in Chicago, Illinois. was only attended by the Imperial Divan, Board of Trustees and necessary members of various committees. Alfred G. Arvold of El Zagal Shriners, 1944-45 Imperial Potentate, became the only Imperial Potentate in history who had no Imperial Session over which to preside.
1949
President and Shriner Harry S. Truman spoke to the crowd about foreign policy at the Diamond Jubilee banquet at the 75th Imperial Session in the Grand Ballroom of the Stevens Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Truman said, "And I am saying to you, which is better, to spend 3, or 4 or 5 billion a year for peace, or to spend a hundred billion dollars a year for another war? That's all the difference there is. We have got to make up our minds to one or the other."
1962
Past Imperial Potentate Harvey Beffa gave a moving report on the necessity to add burn care to the hospital system’s specialties. The highpoint of the presentation was when Billy Roach, a St. Louis Shriners patient who had his leg amputated after a burn injury, ran out onto the stage and kicked a football into the audience. That day the Shriners unanimously approved a resolution that led to the establishment of three Shriners Children's for the treatment of pediatric burns.
1966
Against the wishes of the Secret Service, both President Lyndon B. Johnson and Vice President H. Hubert Humphrey appeared together at the 93rd Imperial Session in Washington, D.C. President Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson walked the parade and then joined the Imperial Officers on the reviewing stand in front of the White House.
1972
At the 98th Imperial Session in Dallas, Texas, the first stand-alone clown competition was held. Prior to this, clowns were only judged by their parade performance.
1982
Imperial Session is held in Orlando, Florida, for the first time. Session was held at Disney's Contemporary Resort in the Ballroom of the Americas. The church service was held at the Polynesian Village Resort in the Luau Cove. Shriners and their families spent an evening at Walt Disney World, and the motor corps competitions were held at Sea World. American voice actor and radio personality - and Shiner - Mel Blanc addressed the audience at one of the events.
1989
The Peace Monument was donated to the city of Toronto in 1930 by Imperial Potentate Leo V. Youngworth on behalf of the fraternity. It was rededicated in a sunrise ceremony as part of the 115th Imperial Session. The monument depicts a winged angel holding aloft a crown of olive branches and standing upon a globe held aloft by female sphinxes.
1999
The Hella Shrine Band hosted a musical reenactment of the famous “bubbles” speech at the 125th Imperial Session in Dallas, TX. This moving speech was given by Forrest Adair at the 1920 Imperial Session and it persuaded the representatives to pass legislation to create the hospital system.
2020
2022
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Shriners International and the 100th anniversary of Shriners Children’s, the Public Opening of the 148th Imperial Session featured a multi-media re-enactment of some notable moments in the organizations’ history.
