Our History

Coming Soon...

The Detroit Court of the Knights of Equity was founded in 1895 and received their charter in 1896. At that time the city had a population of 250,000, with a diverse ethnic background. The Irish mostly lived in the area known as Corktown, in the Southwest part of the city, near Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The first record we have of a social function by the Knights was a banquet in 1903 where Supreme Knight James Madigan of Ohio gave the main address.

In 1910, the club purchased a building at Second Avenue and Fort Street for $32,000. The membership, during this period, was about 250 and mainly consisted of businessmen and city workers.They continued to prosper into the “Roaring Twenties” and membership increased to over 300. In 1924, the membership elected to give their building and meeting hall, then valued at over $250,000, to the University of Detroit. To understand why this group of mostly middle-class Irishmen would give a gift of this size, you need to know that with the Irish people, education has been uppermost important from their earliest history. Since the sixth century, Ireland’s schools have been open to both men and women and educating hundreds of thousands of students every year.

During the “Dark Ages”, following the collapse of the Roman Empire, it was Ireland that sent scholars to educate people on the continent. Later, when enemy law denied education to the Irish, Hedge School Masters assumed the teaching role.

In 1924, the University of Detroit, under the direction of the Very Reverend John McNichols, S.J., was expanding from the downtown location to the Livernois – Six Mile area to meet the needs of a growing city. The Knights of Equity, after due consideration, presented their clubhouse to the University in exchange for 24 on-going scholarships to the University. The passage of time has altered the scholarship program, but over the years approximately 600 students have benefitted from it, as well as the community and county. It is estimated that tuition benefits of over $1 million dollars have gone to the scholarship recipients over the past 97 years, all thanks to the generous foresight of that group of Knights in 1924, and the program continues today.

Following the donation of their home, the Knights met in the halls of other organizations. Members began moving away from the center city, causing a decline in membership. By 1933, however, amid the Great Depression, many of the Irish realized the need for the Knights again.

During that trying period, hundreds of Irish men received jobs through the help of the organization.

In the early 40s, the Knights set aside 10% of all income for a new building fund. In 1948, the membership had grown to 350. By 1952, the fund was large enough to select a site and a new hall was erected on Fenkell Avenue in Detroit. The clubhouse provided a location where members could feel at home. Meetings often lasted well into the night, with card games, ping pong, music, and conversation. In 1953, when Court 6 opened their new home on Fenkell Ave., seven years in a row the governor of Michigan, G. Mennen Williams stopped by the hall & led an Irish Square Dance on St. Patrick’s Day. During this period, the K of E created scholarships at the local parish high school that lasted until the school closed in 1971. Nothing lasts forever, and by 1972 new freeway construction removed thousands of homes from the city and the Fenkell Avenue Hall was sold. The membership changed, with the younger members taking over key offices. They sponsored baseball teams and filled the trophy case with awards. The club has been very active over the years in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and won the prize for best float many times. The K of E played a major role in the formation of The United Irish Societies, the organization that oversees Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Parade.

After Fenkell, Court 6 also owned clubhouses on Schoolcraft Avenue in Detroit, and later Dix Avenue in Lincoln Park. Currently Court 6 meets on the second Thursday of the month at the AOH Hall on Five Mile in Redford.

Through the years, the significant benefit of being a member of the

Knights of Equity has been many friendships, the many social and religious

experiences, and the advancement of the knowledge of our Irish and Catholic heritage.

Coming Soon...