Degree of Honor Protective Association

It was originally organized as a female auxiliary to the Ancient Order of United Workmen, but split off in 1910 to become its own independent group.

The Degree of Honor was established at the AOUW's first Supreme Lodge (national convention) at Cincinnati in February 1873.

The Degree was open to the wives, widows, daughters, sisters, mothers, sons and brothers of members of the Order.

A ritual was written by Dr. James Bunn, the founder of the AOUW, that provided for the creation of new lodges specifically for the degree.

[5] According to the constitution that was operative in 1979, membership was open to any person of good moral character, who believed in a Supreme Being and was from sixteen to sixty-five years old.

The ritual included prayers, a hymn ("Blest Be the Tie that Binds") and an altar and accented the group's three watchwords: constancy, honor, purity.