The BPOE, or Elks, began in 1868 as a social club for minstrel show performers, so minstrel-show culture was part of its origin story. Over time, the organization expanded into a broader fraternal and charitable order, but minstrel performances remained a recurring part of Elks lodge entertainment and fundraising well into the 20th century.wikipedia+2
Minstrel shows were a popular 19th-century entertainment form built on racist caricatures of Black people, usually performed by white actors in blackface. Because the Elks started among performers in that world, the organization inherited some of its practices and social style, including amateur minstrel events. That history is one reason the Elks’ origins are now often discussed in the context of American racial exclusion and entertainment history.wikipedia+2youtubeparkrecord
The connection matters because it shows how a mainstream fraternal organization was shaped by forms of entertainment that normalized racial stereotyping. Even as the Elks later broadened its membership and mission, its early identity was tied to minstrel-show culture, which is now understood as deeply offensive and racist. The Elks’ history is therefore a useful example of how 19th-century social clubs and popular entertainment overlapped.wikipedia+3
In short: the BPOE was founded out of minstrel-show performer culture, and minstrel shows were racist blackface entertainment that remained associated with Elks lodges for decades.wikipedia+1youtube