About IFAMM
Our History
International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, Inc. and Order of the Eastern Star was founded some 73 years ago by Dr. William Venoid Banks. We are comprised of five National Districts with operations in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and Liberia, West Africa.
Since our beliefs are firmly rooted in the Bible, our members are taught to be charitable and of service to all mankind. Our intentions are to induce an ethical way of life which brings about those improvements necessary to the construction of good, clean respected citizenship.
International Masons mission is to unify the most intelligent persons of the community and world; provide moral, financial, benevolent, and charitable leadership; uplift the downtrodden; destroy caste and color prejudice; administer to the needy; bury the dead; and assist in raising the intellectual and moral standards of Society.
Supreme Presidents & First Ladies
Since our founded in 1950, we have had five Supreme Presidents and First Ladies. Beginning with Dr. William Venoid Banks and First Lady Ivy Banks down to our current 5th Supreme President/CEO – Illustrious Kenneth Lawrence Hollowell, 33º and First Lady Sister Patricia J. Hollowell.
Dr. Banks incorporated the term “Supreme” President/CEO to signify that the Office of Supreme President was responsible for overseeing the International Masons, International Masons Credit Union, and WGPR, Inc. (Radio Station).
Supreme Board of Directors
International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, Inc. and Order of the Eastern Star is governed by a Supreme Board of Directors who shall serve as the Supreme Governing Board of International Masons and between Constitutional Conventions shall along with the Chairman of the Board Supreme President (Board Chair). They have full power and authority to interpret, implement and enforce the Constitution and any future ratified amendments thereto.
The Supreme Board of Directors’ composition shall be a maximum of seven (7) members: inclusive of four (4) Masons and three (3) Eastern Stars who are in good standing. In addition, the Supreme President/CEO shall appoint two Masons and two Eastern Stars to serve as Auxiliary Members of the Board.
WGPR-TV62
International Masons and Eastern Stars, under the leadership of Dr. William V. Banks purchased WGPR TV62 in Detroit in 1975. We were the first TV Station in the United States to be independently owned and operated by African Americans. WGPR-TV62 first aired on September 29, 1975 in Detroit, Michigan. For 20 years, the TV station produced programming and content responsive to the needs of African Americans in Detroit. Unfortunately, on July 25, 1995, WGPR-TV was sold to CBS.
The William V. Banks Broadcast Museum is housed in the WGPR Hot 107.5FM Radio State Building on East Jefferson Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan.
WGPR-Hot 107.5FM
WGPR Hot 107.5FM is a commercial FM Radio Station owned by International Masons and Eastern Stars, with an ERP of 50,000 watts where its studios and offices are on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. The programming includes Urban Contemporary, R&B, Soul Music, and Urban Gosepl. You can listen to the station live via the website.
WGPR Hot 107.5FM was purchased in 1964 by International Masons and Eastern Stars (d/b/a WGPR, Inc.), led by Dr. William V. Banks, who served as President and General Manager until his death in 1985. As of August 2021, Kenneth L. Hollowell serves as the President and General Manager.
