Prince Hall Freemasonry

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Prince Hall Freemasonry derives from historical events which led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African-American, Freemasonic fraternal organization in North America. Prince Hall Masonry has always been regular in all respects except constitutional separation.

On March 6, 1775, an African American named Prince Hall was made a Master Mason in Irish Constitution Military Lodge No. 441, along with fourteen other African Americans: Cyrus Johnston, Bueston Slinger, Prince Rees, John Canton, Peter Freeman, Benjamin Tiler, Duff Ruform, Thomas Santerson, Prince Rayden, Cato Speain, Boston Smith, Peter Best, Forten Horward, and Richard Titley, all of whom were free by birth. When the Military Lodge left the area, the African Americans were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, form Processions on the days of the Saints John, and conduct Masonic funerals, but not to confer degrees nor to do other Masonic work. These individuals applied for and obtained a Warrant for Charter from the Grand Lodge of England in 1784 and formed African Lodge #459.

By 1787 there were at least 73 African-American Masons in Massachusetts, who petitioned the legislature with their "desire to return to Africa, our native country . . . for which the God of nature has formed us.".^[1] The Huntingdonian minister John Marrant preached to the Prince Hall Lodge on June 24, 1789. His Nova Scotia congregation was significant in the successful agitation for repatriation by Black Loyalists as well as the subsequent revolt which occurred in Sierra Leone in 1800.

Despite being stricken from the rolls (like all American Grand Lodges were after the 1813 merger of the Antients and the Moderns) the Lodge restyled itself as African Lodge #1 (not to be confused with the various Grand Lodges on the Continent of Africa), and separated itself from United Grand Lodge of England-recognised Masonry. This led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African American jurisdictions in North America, which are known collectively as Prince Hall Freemasonry. Widespread racism and segregation in North America made it impossible for African Americans to join many mainstream lodges, and many mainstream Grand Lodges in North America refused to recognize as legitimate the Prince Hall Lodges and Prince Hall Masons in their territory.

Presently, Prince Hall Masonry is recognized by some UGLE-recognized Grand Lodges and not by others, and appears to be working its way toward full recognition.^[2] It is no longer unusual for traditional lodges to have significant African-American membership.

According to data compiled in 2005, 38 out of 51 US mainstream Grand Lodges recognize Prince Hall Grand Lodges.^[3]

In 1809 the Prince Hall Grand Master of African Lodge #459 was George Middleton (died 1816) of Boston. He was a member of the Bucks of America a unit of black soldiers during the American Revolution who were at the Battle of Groton Heights, Connecticut in 1781. This unit received a flag from Governor John Hancock. Middleton was also a founder of the African Benevolent Society. His house is preserved in Boston, Massachusetts.

[edit] References

^ "Blacks in Massachusetts and the Shays Rebellion", American Studies in Black and White: Selected Essays, 1949-1989, Sidney Kaplan, University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst MA, 1991 ISBN 0-87023-469-2; Black Square and Compass: 200 Years of Prince Hall Freemasonry, Walkes, Joseph A., Jr., Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply, Richmond VA, 1981 ISBN 0-88053-061-8
^ "Who is Prince Hall?", accessed on 9 February 2006.
^ Prince Hall Recognition Chart, accessed 9 February, 2006.

Roundtree, Alton G., and Paul M. Bessel (2006). Out of the Shadows: Prince Hall Freemasonry in America, 200 Years of Endurance. Forestville MD: KLR Publishing