1.   Foner emphasized that even before the war, freed blacks had established a network of institutions, churches, schools and mutual benefit societies.

2.   Further, proposals to tax fraternal benefit societies have focused on taxing their insurance businesses only, not the charitable donations generated by members.

3.   The book emphasizes black women whose community organizing began in slave quarters and continued in abolitionist societies, black churches, mutual benefit societies and literary societies.

4.   The Knights are the only major fraternal benefit society with a Washington office, located just blocks from the White House.

5.   While other types of nonprofits are named in provisions for continuing tax exemptions, fraternal benefit societies are not specifically mentioned as tax-exempt under the plan.

6.   Reducing those inequalities benefits wider society through reductions in communicable disease, reducing alcohol abuse, mental illness and violence.