Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

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Named after the Mosaic Templars of America, a fraternal organization founded in 1882 by two formerly enslaved men, John E. Bush and Chester W. Keatts, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center honors their lasting legacy. Originally established to provide insurance for Black families in Little Rock, the organization quickly expanded its services. It grew to include a building and loan association, a publishing company, a business college, a nursing school, and a hospital.

The international headquarters, built in 1913 at the corner of West 9th and Broadway in Little Rock, tragically burned down in 2005 while undergoing renovations to house the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. The current building, is a faithful reproduction of the original building, located on the same historic site. In September 2008, the new center opened its doors, featuring an 8,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, interactive space dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating Arkansas’s African American history and culture.

The third-floor ballroom, one of the most elegant venues in Little Rock, is a historic reproduction of the 1913 ballroom that once hosted national figures like Booker T. Washington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The space, featuring a stage, hardwood floors, and a wraparound balcony, regularly hosts events ranging from banquets and award ceremonies to lectures and family reunions. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is also home to the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.