Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner

The Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner (SSSB), sometimes referred to as the Order of the Sons of the Sires of '76, was an American nativist secret society, founded in 1849 at New York City by Charles B. Allen, and which existed primarily for the purpose of clandestine political organisation to "keep foreigners, naturalized citizens, and Catholics out of public office." After existing with limited membership in the early years, the order expanded enormously in 1852, leading to a schism whereby Allen and others splintered off, establishing a new three-degree ritual, leaving behind the more popular organisation to the leadership of members of the Order of United Americans (OUA), including James W. Barker, which ultimately served as a wing of the American Party in the broader movement of Know-Nothingism.