The Imperial Court, is an auxiliary of female family members of Prince Hall Shriners, and was formally organized at the annual session of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, held in Detroit, Michigan, on August 24, 1910. The establishment of the Imperial Court was a result of a meeting held in 1909, when women representing the auxiliary of female members of Prince Hall Shriners from Maryland, Rhode Island and Washington, DC, met with a committee of Prince Hall Shriners and requested the formation and recognition of an organization for their women relatives. The purpose of the Imperial Court, is to unite the relatives of all members of the A.E.A.O.N.M.S. into one common bond of friendship, to practice charity and benevolence, and to inculcate honor and integrity as symbolized in the legend of the Egyptian queen. The Imperial Court, a charitable and benevolent organization, stresses the development of powerful leaders, encourages health awareness among youth and adults, provides services to help disabled and senior citizens, provides for effective networking among its members and other organizations, recognizes and celebrates the historic and current achievement of African American women, exerts positive influence and utilizes the tool of role modeling for youth, teenage mothers, high school and college students, and disseminates information for educational opportunities and career planning to youth and young adults. Specific program thrusts include education and scholarship, health, mentoring our youth and senior citizens, book bags and school supplies for adopted schools, and the Youth. In addition to volunteer activities, financial donations are made annually to College Fund/UNCF, scholarships, Health and Medical Research, American Cancer Society, Mental Retardation, NAACP, National Foundation (Birth Defects), HIV/AIDS Awareness and other civic and special interests. This organization of 12 courts at its inception has grown to almost 209 courts located in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Italy and Japan.