It was mainly a Black Belt order, and on the whole had a more substantial and more conservative membership than the other large secret bodies.

Like the Ku Klux Klan, it also absorbed several minor local societies.
The White Camelia had a national organization with headquarters in New Orleans.

Its business was conducted by a Supreme Council of the United States, with Grand, Central, and Subordinate Councils for each state, county, and community.

All communication within the order took place by passwords and cipher; the organization and the officers were similar to those of the Ku Klux Klan; and all officers were designated by initials.
An ex-member states that "during the three years of its existence here [Perry County, Alabama] I believe its organization and discipline were as perfect as human ingenuity could have made it." The fundamental object of the White Camelia was the "maintenance of the supremacy of the white race," and to this end the members were constrained "to observe a marked distinction between the races" and to restrain the "African race to that condition of social and political inferiority for which God has destined it." The members were pledged to vote only for whites, to oppose Negro equality in all things, but to respect the legitimate rights of Negroes.
The smaller orders were similar in purpose and organization to the Ku Klux Klan and the White Camelia.

Most of them joined or were affiliated with the large societies.