Ancient Mystic Order of Bagmen of Bagdad
The Ancient Mystic Order of the Bagmen of Bagdad (AMOBB)
was founded in 1895 in Ohio as the “fun” and burial insurance arm of the
Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (O.U.C.T.A.). There were 6.000 Bagmen in
1994.
Today, the Ancient Mystic Order of Bagmen of Bagdad is variously seen as a
“fun” organization and as the “inner circle” of the Order of United
Commercial Travelers of America. Members dress up in
pseudo-Arab costume and fezzes for parades (though they do not parade very much,
anymore), but the organization also provides the more sober service of funding
burial of deceased members.
Membership has fluctuated through the years, about 4,000 in the mid-1960s, about
6,600 in the mid-1970s, and about 6,000 a decade later.
At one time, there were rituals which may have been in use into the 1970s.