Collection of Ribbon Badges from Fraternal Organizations

Fraternal organizations are a grouping of people with a shared common bond, interest, religion, or ethnicity. Some organizations that are based on ethnicity are restricted based on birthright or qualifying association with a certain country. Many of these organizations were created out of a community need when a large number of families immigrated to the United States. These organizations were often built to address nationwide issues with language, legislation, and religious representation. For example, the Franco-American Union of Connecticut protested the proclamation made by Governor Marcus H. Holcomb decreed that exclusively English would be used in public and private schools.

Ribbon badges are traditionally used as identification for a member and were intended to be worn for meetings, conventions, and gatherings. They contain a variety of colors and patterns with ornate additions being an identifier of status and membership. Within these fraternal organizations, there can be internal hierarchies and class systems depending on the type of organization. For example, Order of the VASA identifies hierarchy through placement of where the ribbon badge is worn. Other organizations use assigned titles such as “Sergeant” and “Delegate” to designate a status of the member. In addition, many of these badges are dual sided, with the backside being traditionally used for funeral services. In those instances, the ribbon badge is flipped to the black side where “In Memoriam” is present. These sides are often less ornate and typically do not display someone’s title.