Old Benevolent Society Building

Old Benevolent Society Building. 11738 Ferdinand Street, St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish. , In the aftermath of the Civil War, benevolent societies filled an urgent need for medical care and burials of freed slaves that had once been filled by the masters of the plantations. As the years passed these societies served as a way to provide union and fellowship amongst the black community within a radius determined by each society., During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, churches struggled to provide sanctuary and socialization in addition to salvation. Nearly every church had its benevolent society that filled dire and pressing needs such as sitting with the sick, feeding the weak, funding medical care and covering the expenses of a decent burial. , This building serves as a reminder of the significant role benevolent societies played in Southern black culture during the century following the end of the Civil War. By the 1960s, desegregation and modern health and burial insurance plans lessened the need for many of the societies to exist., The building is owned by the Old Benevolent Society / Order of the Eastern Star and is in need of repairs to the foundation and exterior walls. Use of the building ceased in December 2016, due to structural concerns.