Meetings of the Druze Society of America “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” (The Druze First Fruits) were held once a month, where members met on the first Sunday of every month. Meetings were organized and accurate records were maintained. Contributions of 50 cents per month were collected from each member.
The goal of the society was to promote brotherhood, a goal which it achieved in every sense of the word. “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” provided financial payments to cover doctor and hospital bills for any member in need. Typically, these members were able to repay the amount to the society upon their recovery. The society also covered funeral expenses for the families of members in need. Loans were granted to members threatened with bankruptcy, as well as to those needing assistance in starting small businesses. As membership grew, the society flourished through its charitable works and fostered brotherhood among the Druze community. “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” was everything it was intended to be: unity, harmony, and togetherness among all members. The society flourished and continued to be highly effective and active. It contributed to cultural, educational, and modern projects undertaken by the Druze in Lebanon and Syria. In the name of patriotism and the Druze faith, “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” in Seattle demonstrated great responsibility and commitment both here in the United States and in Lebanon and Syria.
The “Mother Branch in Seattle” continued to be active, as S.M. James recalls: “In July 1914, the Druze held their first conference in the Midwest. At times during the conference, there were 500 or 600 people. Visitors came from Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The conference executive committee rented a large building and set up a kitchen to serve Syrian food daily. City officials from Saint Jo were invited to dinner. After dinner, the mayor and the city police chief thanked the committee and admitted they had never tasted food as good as what they had that night. The conference lasted about ten days. There was music, the Dabke dance, singing, and plenty of fun, day and night.”
As the early immigrants settled in the United States, they began exploring the possibility of establishing branches in their own cities, using Seattle as the “original mother” branch, due to the increasing need for brotherhood among Druze immigrants. The flame of spirit and morale of the Druze of that period began there in Seattle, Washington. One of the Seattle settlers, Mr. Asaad Karami, moved from Seattle to Cleveland, Ohio and settled among a large Druze community there. He played a key role in establishing the first branch of the Druze society in 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was named “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1.”
The organization continued to grow, and just as the founding members did, new members participated in “breaking bread” (sharing salt), which symbolizes unity and harmony among all members. For new members, eating salt symbolized an initial commitment to the group; for old members, it was a renewal of their commitment. The number of branches reached ten across the United States by 1946.
The first Druze immigrants arrived on the shores of the North American continent in the late nineteenth century. As the number of these immigrants increased, a strong desire and need for brotherhood, fellowship, kinship, and companionship arose among them. In 1907, a group of these Druze immigrants who settled in Seattle, Washington, known for their sincerity and enlightenment, organized the first fraternal organization they called “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat”. (Al-Bakaurat) is an Arabic word meaning “first fruits.” It was used appropriately to refer to the first Druze fraternal society in the United States. Records indicate that Mr. Asaad Karami of Ain Zhalta, Lebanon, along with Dr. Nasim Salim of Jibyeh, Lebanon, were the original founders of “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat”. The Seattle organization holds a history dated February 8, 1908, granted by the society's articles of incorporation.
Branch No. 1
The El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland was the promising child of a cohesive ethnic community scattered over a wide area in a foreign land. It fulfilled this need worthily and without blemish. Despite the absence of a recognized national authority, and despite the local limitations of its organization, it maintained a lively and continuous exchange of dialogue, correspondence, and visits among its multiple branches.
The El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio began when Mr. Asaad Karami moved to Cleveland from Seattle, Washington. He arrived in the United States from the village of Ain Zhalta in the Shouf Mountains of Lebanon on April 16, 1916, and first settled in Seattle, Washington. The Cleveland branch was established primarily by members of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Seattle branch who had moved to Cleveland, Ohio. They wanted to continue the work they had started in Seattle. Most of these people were from the Armoun area of Lebanon, in the Western region, and the majority were from the Al-Yahya family.
Mr. Saeed Qabalan says that his father arrived in the United States in 1913 and became a member of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was not among the founders; however, he played a major role in the Cleveland branch and contributed to its establishment as a non-profit company with a cultural, social, and welfare focus in 1926. Mr. Saeed Qabalan says that the original charter was placed in the Western Reserve Historical Society archives in Cleveland, Ohio, to be preserved and used by researchers of Cleveland's history.
Mr. Saeed Qabalan says that an influential person from Cleveland, Ohio, who contributed to promoting and organizing eight branches of El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat was Dr. Mohammad Yahya. Dr. Yahya worked hard to promote Druze unity in the United States. He was the first Druze to receive a medical degree in the United States. He obtained a pre-medical degree from the University of Washington and a medical degree from Rush Medical College at the University of Illinois.
The address of El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio was P.O. Box 373, Cleveland, Ohio. Local officials were: Mohammad Fahd Hassan, Melhem Ali Zayour, Naif Assaf Salim, Saeed Abdullah, Yousef Mohammad Fahd, Saeed Assaf, Ali Abu Joudeh, Daoud Hassan, Mahmoud Al-Mashham, Fares Hassan Abu Ghader, and Suleiman Ali Zayour.
Mr. Abbas Daqdouq from Cleveland, Ohio was a member from the beginning. He was 16 years old when he immigrated to this country from Armoun, Lebanon in 1913. He remembers: “I arrived in the United States, and the brotherhood I found among my fellow Druze through the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 helped me. We shared our joys and sorrows, and we traveled long distances to attend weddings and funerals.” He was the president of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland for 12 years and was able to list the members of the branch and their original village. They are as follows:
“El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio has an advertisement in the Sixth Annual Conference booklet of the American Druze Society at the Carter Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. The year was 1952.”
Branch No. 2
Branch No. 2 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society was established in Detroit, Michigan, on May 27, 1917. The branch began through the efforts of Fares Hassan Abu Ghada of Cleveland, Ohio. The address of Branch No. 2 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Detroit, Michigan was 1337 East Palmer Street. The first officers of Branch No. 2 were: Abbas Salman Abu Ghanem, Ali Salman Abu Ghanem, Khattar Mustafa Abu Shakra, Mahmoud Ali Dargham, and Ibrahim Ali Dargham.
It included members living in the surrounding areas of Flint and Saginaw. It was always a cornerstone for many Druze achievements in the West, especially in the American Druze Society. Branch No. 2 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society remained a very strong branch until the years 1973-74, when it joined the American Druze Society as Chapter No. 1.
Mr. Naif Kater from Saginaw, Michigan became a member after his immigration to this country from Batloun, Lebanon in 1920. He joined Branch No. 2 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Detroit, Michigan in 1920 shortly after his arrival. Mr. Kater (Uncle Naif) was able to list the names of the early members. They are as follows:
Fred Massey (Ainab), Fares Melin Abu Ghanem (Bmehray), Abbas Amin Abu Ghanem, Ali Amin Abu Ghanem, and Hussein Melin Abu Ghanem (Al-Ramliyeh).
A badge with a ribbon was worn by members of “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat.” Written on the ribbon is “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch 2 Detroit, Michigan,” the name of the Druze society. Above this writing on the ribbon is a badge, which is another badge bearing an emblem consisting of a pentagram surrounded by a crescent, and above the crescent a sword. Around the emblem, the name of the Druze society is written: “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch 2, founded May 27, 1917.” This is surrounded by a circular gold badge. Above the badge are two American flags overlapping, and above the flags is another oval-shaped badge featuring two hands clasped in a handshake. This badge is also bordered in gold. Thus, the spirit of solidarity among American Druze immigrants began more than ninety years ago.
Branch No. 2 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Detroit, Michigan published an advertisement in the Sixth Annual Conference booklet of the American Druze Society at the Carter Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio (1952), the Tenth Annual Conference of the Society at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan (1956), the Eighteenth Annual Conference of the Society at the Daniel Boone Hotel in Charleston, West Virginia (1964), the Nineteenth Annual Conference of the Society at the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. (1965), and the Twentieth Annual Conference of the Society at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Detroit, Michigan (1966).
Branch No. 3
There is no information in the records regarding Branch No. 3 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society. However, in the files of Sami and Afaf Abu Al-Hassan, a third branch was recorded that began in Butte, Montana. The name Abbas Al-Sakan was recorded in connection with Branch No. 3 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Butte, Montana. In another article in “Our Heritage”, by the American Druze Society historian, Mr. Henry Fleehan, a photo of the plaque of Branch No. 3 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society was published with the phrase “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 3, founded 1918, Butte, Montana.”
However, in the conference booklet “The First Festival of the Statement,” an advertisement appeared for Branch No. 3 in Danbury, Connecticut, which confirms that the branch was still active in 1947. The Arabic sentence under the advertisement translates to: “Branch No. 3 of the ‘El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat’ society in the state of Connecticut.”
Branch No. 4
Branch No. 4 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society was established in 1924 in Princeton, West Virginia. It was very prosperous during that period. Many Druze immigrants chose to settle there. They settled mostly around coal mining camps such as Princeton, Bluefield, Matoaka, Kimball, Mullens, Norfolk, Welch, War, and Bradshaw. All the original immigrants began in the door-to-door sales business, even in later years when they began learning the common basic words of “giving and taking” in English. Learning English opened up less tiring ways to earn a living. The businesses opened by the early immigrants were called “dry goods stores.” They also opened shops selling basic American foods, such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Mr. Harry Hamdan Abu Al-Hassan was the only member of the original Druze settlers who settled in West Virginia when research for Branch No. 4 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Princeton, West Virginia was conducted. Mr. Hamdan immigrated to the United States from Bteghnay, Lebanon, on June 23, 1921. He settled in Kimball, West Virginia, and later moved to Princeton, West Virginia. He, his wife Najla Bahmad Abu Al-Hassan, and their four sons, Joe, Raymond, Nabil, and Norman, were active in the American Druze Society since its inception. The names of the initial members of Branch No. 4 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society in Princeton, West Virginia, are as follows:
Mr. Harry Hamdan Abu Al-Hassan, Jimmy Masri, Richard Masri, Saeed Masri, Abdullah Masri, Fares Masri, Suleiman Hassan Masri, Tawfiq Zein Al-Din, Najib Hamad Masri, Najim Haidan Masri, Qassem Fleehan, Najin Mahmoud Abu Al-Hassan, Qassem Abdul Khalek, Qassem Masri, Jamil Sanjeed Abu Al-Hassan, Jaber Shaqir, Majid Melhem, Asaad Ali Al-Aawar, Hamad Masri, Amin Rweidan, Suleiman Aql, Mohammad Hussein Abu Al-Hassan, Richard Hamdan Abu Al-Hassan, Ahmed Al-Zaar, Melhem Atallah, Murshid Qassem Abu Al-Hassan, Suleiman Mothad (Modad), Hussein Hilal (moved to Princeton, West Virginia from Cleveland, Ohio), Ali Abu Al-Hassan Al-Ali, Ali Sanjeed, Rashid Sanjeed, Yousef Hamad Abu Al-Hassan, Mohammad Zaher Al-Din (Henry Fleehan is the American Druze Society historian), Wadih Sanjeed Abu Al-Hassan, Joseph Hamdan Abu Al-Hassan, Shahin Masri, Sami Hamad Masri, Fares Shahin, Fouad Masri, Shakib Hamdan Youl Abu Al-Hassan, and Bahij Abu Al-Hassan.
An application for incorporation was filed on February 20, 1940. In the records is a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation, State of West Virginia. Article I states that the name of the company shall be Branch 4, El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat.
Article II states that the place where all business is to be conducted will be in Princeton, Mercer County, West Virginia.
Article III states that the objectives of El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat in Princeton, West Virginia are to help, promote, develop, and assist in maintaining the American family lifestyle; provide individual service to families to regain their independence and the natural way of life; help improve factors related to home, family, and local relationships; engage in charitable and civic work; provide cooperation and leadership with other agencies in programs to improve social status; issue by-laws, rules, and regulations for the government of its members and contributors; help and protect its members and do everything necessary and related thereto in carrying out the principles and objectives of this organization. It shall not operate for profit and without stocks – only to promote the moral, social, and educational well-being of its members.
Article IV states that this corporation shall not operate for profit and shall not issue capital stock. It shall be a charitable and fraternal society consisting of members of “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” in the United States. The by-laws shall provide the prescribed entry fees and a monthly contribution to be paid to the corporation in the form of subscriptions.
Article V states the names and P.O. boxes of the founders as follows:
Albert Amin (Welch, West Virginia), Albert Masri (Princeton, West Virginia), Joseph Najjar (Princeton, West Virginia), Jimmy Masri (Princeton, West Virginia), Joe Jaber (Matoaka, West Virginia). They were also the ones who signed the incorporation papers dated September 20, 1940.
El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch 4 in Princeton, West Virginia has an advertisement in the Tenth Annual Conference booklet of the American Druze Society at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan (1956).
Branch No. 5
Branch No. 5 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society was established in 1935 in Kingsport, in the eastern part of the state of Tennessee, which includes Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee, and Johnson City. This branch, like all other branches, was strong and supportive of Druze affairs in general, and maintained complete cohesion with all branches of El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat, especially in Princeton and Charleston, West Virginia. They were, in their own right, successful businessmen in all their endeavors and very respected in their communities.
Mr. Fahim Mohammad Miri Abu Al-Hassan from Kingsport, Tennessee joined Branch No. 5 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society later as a young man. Mr. Youl Abu Al-Hassan, despite his young age, is the only living member in that region of Tennessee who spoke about the history of this branch. As for
The names of the initial members who started Branch No. 5 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society are not recorded. But the names of some of the original members of Branch No. 5 of the “El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat” society are as follows:
Mohammad Hani Al-Quntar, Salim Shawki, Ali Shaqir, Hussein Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Qassem Sanjeed Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Saeed Haider, Hassan Rafie Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Ali Rashid Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Najib Jaber Masri (moved later to Princeton, West Virginia), Saeed Najjar, Mohammad Makarem, Salim Makarem, Abdul Hamid Fathayel, Salim Masoud, Asaad Melhem Maghribi, Mustafa Saeed, Najib Abi Izz Al-Din, Ali Suleiman Jaber, Ared Zein Al-Din, Suleiman Alam Al-Din, Rashid Suleiman Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Hussein Melhem Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Mohammad Mir Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Yousef Kaboul, Ali Jaber Youl Abu Al-Hassan, Tawfiq Hussein Abu Al-Hassan, Shahin Aqli Abu Al-Hassan, Yousef Qassem Abu Al-Hassan, Suleiman Saeed Arit, and Rashid Qassem Abu Al-Hassan.
New members were recorded after 1946: Mickey Sanjeed Abu Al-Hassan, Sami Aqli Abu Al-Hassan, Fares Shahin Abu Al-Hassan, Wajih Sanjeed Abu Al-Hassan, Mansour Masri, Rashid Shakir, Najib Hamad Abu Al-Hassan, Daoud Suleiman Abu Al-Hassan, Hussein Asaad Abu Al-Hassan, Fahim Mohammad Mir Abu Al-Hassan, Fawzi Mohammad Mir Abu Al-Hassan, Ramez Qassem Abu Al-Hassan, Jamil Shaaban, Kamil Haider, Izzat Daqour Abu Al-Hassan, Jamil Barakat Sanjeed Abu Al-Hassan, and Mahmoud Shehab Al-Din Abu Al-Hassan.
El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat Branch No. 5 in Kingsport, Tennessee has an advertisement in the Tenth Annual Conference booklet of the American Druze Society at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan (1956).
Branch No. 6
Branch No. 6 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society was established in 1937 in Charleston, West Virginia. It was also active in the surrounding areas in West Virginia and Tennessee. Mr. Aref Qassem Mir from Charleston, West Virginia, provided details about Branch No. 6 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society to Mr. Henry Fleehan. In 1921, Mr. Mir came to the United States with plans to settle. He was only seventeen years old. However, when he arrived at Ellis Island, he was rejected for health reasons and returned home to Lebanon. In 1934, Mr. Mir departed again for the United States, and this time he was accepted. He settled in Charleston, West Virginia, where he became a member of Branch No. 6 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society in Charleston, West Virginia.
The original members of Branch No. 6 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society were:
- Amin Yousef Mir
- Suleiman Yousef Mir
- Khalil Shibli Mir
- Asaad Shibli Mir
- Daoud (David) Danan Mir
- Tawfiq Saeed Mir
- Aref Qassem Mir
- Fakhr Al-Din Asrawi
- Nassif Asrawi
- Najib Ajib
- Hassan Ajib
- Mickey Sanjeed Youl-Hassan (moved to Charleston, West Virginia, from Kingsport, Tennessee)
- Rashid Shaar
- Salim Shaar
- Hussein Yahya
- Saeed Yahya
- Rashid Yahya
- Hassan Al-Sigh
- Hassan Al-Jawhari
- Suleiman Salim
- Amin Abu Saeed
- Mahmoud Barakat
In the conference booklet “The First Festival of the Statement,” advertisements for Branch No. 6 in Charleston, West Virginia appeared, confirming that the branch was still active in 1947. Branch No. 6 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society in Charleston, West Virginia, has an advertisement in the Tenth Annual Conference booklet of the society at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan (1956).
Branch No. 7
Branch No. 7 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society was in Richmond, Virginia. Branch No. 7 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society in the state of Virginia has an advertisement in the Tenth Annual Conference booklet of the society at the Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan. The year was 1956. There are no additional records.
Branch No. 8
Branch No. 8 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society was in Hopewell, Virginia, and was established in 1936. There are no additional records.
Branch No. 9
Branch No. 9 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society was later established in Seminole, Oklahoma. In the conference booklet, the names of committee members appeared in the “First Festival of the Statement” in a list, and “Branch No. 9 of the El-Bakaurat Ed-Dirziyat society in Seminole, Oklahoma” appeared in that list. There are no additional records.
Branch No. 10
Branch No. 10 was in Texas.
