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The Fraternal Order of Eagles began in 1898 as a group of theater owners in Seattle. But as it grew into a national organization with a broad membership, the Eagles became involved in issues beyond the arts. They lobbied for the creation of Mother’s Day and in the 1920s began pushing for state pension programs.

Franklin Roosevelt was so grateful for their role in the passage of Social Security that he sent their leader, the “Eagle Grand Worthy President,” a thank-you note and a pen from the bill-signing ceremony. Three decades later, Lyndon Johnson thanked the Eagles for their role in creating Medicare.

As Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin write in “We Are Indivisible,” their new how-to book about political activism:

It turns out that for much of American history, voluntary associations like the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Loyal Order of Moose were regular major civic-engagement institutions in communities across the country. If you’re a millennial like us, their names might sound like they’re from Harry Potter, but these were real-life chapter-based organizations that organized millions of local volunteers and wielded power nationally through a federated system, with local, state, and national leadership.

The one big silver lining of the Trump era is that it has rejuvenated many Americans’ interest in civic and political engagement. Civic groups, which had been in decline for decades, have staged something of a comeback.