The Truth Flashcards
According to one of his best friends, when was Prince Hall born?
1738
Who was perhaps one of the greatest African-American historians of all time?
George William Washington
When did the African-American historian say Prince Hall was born?
And where?
1748
We don’t know where
What is Prince Hall’s real name?
Regretfully, we don’t know
When is the first time we ever hear about Prince Hall? How?
1763,
When a marriage announcement appeared in the newspapers
According to the marriage certificate, who was Prince Hall married to?
When?
Sarah, negro servant, Francis Ritchery
Nov. 2, 1763
When did we learn that Prince Hall was a servant?
1770
Who was Prince Hall a servant to? For what years?
William Hall
1749-1770
When was Prince Hall “Freed”?
April 9, 1770
About a month after Crispus Attucks was killed
Where was Crispus Attucks killed?
the Boston Massacre
Who was Prince Hall freed by?
William Hall
How do we know Prince Hall was a servant, and not a slave?
It says so in his marriage announcement and his manumission papers.
How many cas~ea of blacks were there in those days?
3
Name the different clas~ea of blacks in those days.
- Free Blacks
- Slaves
- Servants
What did William Hall say in regards to freeing Prince Hall?
“he was never reckoned a slave by us”
What proved Prince Hall to be freed, if he were ever stopped by authorities?
His Manumission papers
What Spurred Prince Hall into the leadership of the Black Community?
The death of Cnspus Attucks
Why was Prince Hall destined to fight to see to it that Blacks could exercise this freedom?
A Black man had died for a freedom he didn’t even possess
Was Prince Hall a mason in 1770?
No
Prince Hall went about the town to do what?
- preach equal treatment for Blacks
- education for Black children
- the abolition of slavery and slave trade.
Why did it seem that Prince Hall’s pleas fell on deaf ears, for the most part?
Because the community was not disposed to listen to any Black man
Why did Prince Hall want to become a mason?
All the influential men were masons and the citizenry listened to masons.
Where did Prince Hall first make several attempts to become a mason?
lodges in Boston, rejected in every case
Who was the Worshipful Master of Lodge #441, of the Irish
Registry?
John Batt
Who accepted Prince Halls petition
for membership to be a mason?
John Batt
When was Prince Halls petition of membership as a mason accepted?
March 1775
Lodge #441 of the Irish
Registry was attached to what?
the 38th British Foot Infantry
How many other men of color were made masons with Prince Hall?
14
Where were Prince Hall and other men made masons?
on Castle
William Island
When were Prince Hall and other men made masons?
March 6, 1775
When was the first time Black men were made Masons in America?
March 6, 1775
When did the British Foot Infantry evacuate Boston?
March 17, 1776
When the British Foot Infantry evacuated Boston what did they take with it?
The Army lodge
When he left, what did Worshipful Master Batt give Prince Hall and they other brethren?
a permit to meet as a lodge and to bury its dead in manner and form
When was African Lodge #1 organized?
July 3, 1776
Who was the master of African Lodge #1
Prince Hall
Who gave African Lodge #1 the right to walk on St. John’s Day?
Provincial Grand Master John Rowe
When did Prince Hall petition the legislature to free all slaves in Massachusetts?
January 13, 1777
When did Prince Hall petition George Washington to permit Blacks to join the army?
July 3, 1777
What is the premier Grand Lodge of the World?
The Grand Lodge of England
When did The Grand Lodge of England issue a charter to African Lodge?
September 29, 1784
What was significant about The Grand Lodge of England issuing a charter to African Lodge?
it made it a regular lodge, with all the rights and privileges of any regular lodge in the world.
What was The Lodge designated as?
459
Who did Prince Hall offer the services of the members of African Lodge #459 to?
Gov. Bowdoin
When did Prince Hall offer the services of the members of African Lodge #459?
November 26, 1786
Why did Prince Hall offer the services of the members of African Lodge #459?
to help keep the peace during Shays’ Rebellion
When did Prince Hall petition the legislature to support a return to Africa movement?
January 4, 1787
What city did Prince Hall petition for the education of Black children?
Boston
When did Prince Hall petition for the education of black children?
October 17, 1787
When did Prince Hall petition the legislature for the return of kidnapped Black seamen?
February 27, 1888
Who was the first Black leader in New England and set the stage for generations to come?
Prince Hall
Some of the members of African Lodge were what?
Mariners
Name name 2 members of the African Lodge who found them selfs in distress while in London.
- Prince Reed
- John Means
Who did Prince Reed and John Means petition for assistance?
The Lodge of Brotherly
Love
Who did Prince Hall send a letter to when brothers Prince Reed and John Mean returned to Boston?
Worshipful Master of the Lodge, William Moody
Why did Prince Hall write the Worshipful Master a letter?
Because by recognizing Reed and Means as regular masons. They must have recognized African Lodge as a regular Lodge.
When was Prince Hall’s Charter granted?
September 29, 1784
When was the African Lodge was duly organized?
May 6, 1787
What did the Grand Lodge of England make Prince Hall a Provincial Grand Master?
Because the African Lodge was so popular and Prince Hall was such an excellent leader
When did the Grand Lodge of England make Prince Hall a Provincial Grand Master?
January 27, 1791
What was Prince Hall’s job as a Provincial Grand Master?
The job of reporting on the condition of the Lodges in the Boston area
When did Prince Hall organize a lodge in Philadelphia?
March 22, 1979
What was the lodge in Philadelphia called?
African Lodge #459
When did Prince Hall organize African Lodge (later known as Hiram Lodge #3) at Providence, Rhode Island?
June 25, 1797
When did Prince Hall organize the first school for Black children?
1796
Where did Prince Hall organize the first school for Black children?
- in Boston in his home
- later moving to larger quarters in Primus Hall’s home
- finally in the basement of the newly built African Meeting House.
How many, very important “Charges”, did Prince Hall deliver to the brethren of African Lodge?
2
What was the first “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered to the brethren of African Lodge in regards to?
- the brethren
- the superstructure of masonry
- and its history
When was the first “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered to the brethren of African Lodge given?
June 25, 1792
Where was the first “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered to the brethren of African Lodge given?
in Charlestown
What was the second “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered in regards to?
- more masonic history -lesson on how to treat fellow men
- examples of how to get ahead without using the lack of education, etc. as an excuse for not trying.
When was the second “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered to the brethren of African Lodge given?
June 24, 1797
Where was the second “Charge”, that Prince Hall delivered to the brethren of African Lodge given?
in Cambridge
When did Prince Hall die?
December 4, 1807
When were the brethren eager to for a Grand Lodge?
After Prince Hall’s death
When was African Grand Lodge organized?
June 24,1808
What lodges organized with the African Grand Lodge?
The lodges from:
- Philadelphia
- Providence
- Boston.
What hiccup did the African Grand Lodge run in to later on? Why?
When Boyer Lodge of New York petitioned for a charter?
Because “doubting Thomas’s” in New York wanted AGL to prove that they had authority to issue charters.
But they couldn’t
Who proposed a solution to African Grand Lodges hiccup?
John I. Hilton
What was the solution proposed to fix the African Grand Lodges hiccup?
an official “Declaration of Independence”. They were to write such a declaration and place it in the newspaper, so that it would be official, once and for all.
When was the African Grand Lodge declared “free” from the government and control of our Mother Grand Lodge of England.. . or any other lodges.
June 18, 1827
Why was an act of “declaration of independence” necessary for the African grand Lodge?
Because Boyer Lodge of New York refused to accept the authority of AGL.
When were there many disagreements between “African” Grand Lodges?
1847
Why were there disagreements between “African” Grand Lodges
- Grand Lodges were not respecting the sovereign territories of other Grand Lodges.
- claiming that they were the only legitimate Grand Lodges
Who helped solve the dis agreements between “African Grand Lodges”
John T. Hilton of Massachusetts
What was done to help solve the disagreements between “African” Grand Lodges?
John T. Hilton of Massachusetts, called for all of the Grand Lodges to meet to consider the formation of a “General” Grand Lodge
When and where did the “General Grand Lodge” solution meeting take place?
Boston on June 24, 1847
What was the purpose to consider a “General” Grand Lodge?
To halt the growth of rival grand lodges, since without the sanction of the General Grand Lodge, a Grand Lodge would not be legitimate.
What was a down side to the “General” Grand Lodge proposal meeting?
it was held at the same time that many Grand Lodges were celebrating St. John’s Day
How many grand lodges were represented during the “General” Grand Lodge proposal meeting?
4
Which grand lodges were represented during the “General” Grand Lodge proposal meeting?
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- New York
- Pennsylvania
What came of the “General” Grand Lodge proposal meeting, after complaints about timing?
the convention was revived
the National Grand Lodge of North America was created
and put forth the “Sentiments of the National Grand Lodge”.
When was the National Grand lodge of North America dissolved? How?
- During the National Convention in 1877
- all of the Grand Lodges except two bad withdrew
What was one of the major problems that led to the end of the National Grand Lodge of North America?
the “masonic rule” that there can be no body, or group of men, above a Grand Lodge
all Grand Lodges are autonomous, therefore, the National Grand Lodge, was a masonically illegitimate body.
What was the National Grand Lodge of North America also know as?
The National Compact
Name one good thing did come out of the National Grand Lodge?
African Grand Lodge of Massachusetts petitioned for membership and was refused because they had only one lodge
Why is AGL of Massachusetts petition to the National Grand Lodge refusal, good?
Because the petition was made nude, under the name of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge
-the first time this name was ever used
When was the African Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Peyton to the National Grand Lodge made nude?
December, 1847
Why was AGL Massachusetts’ petition to the National Grand Lodge rejected?
- Because they had only one lodge
- the others had joined others to form Grand Lodges
How many lodges did AGL Massachusetts need if it wished to join the National Grand Lodge?
3
To solve the issue of needing more Grand lodges what did Massachusetts do?
Massachusetts decided to break up African Lodge and establish three lodges
What were the lodges that Massachusetts broke up into?
- Union Lodge #2
- Rising Sons of St. John Lodge #3
- Celestial Lodge #4
When was Union Lodge #2 created?
Feb. 17, 1848
When was Rising Sons of St. John Lodge #3 created?
April 24, 1848
When was the Celestial Lodge #4 created?
April 24, 1848
When was Prince Hall Grand Lodge was accepted by the National Grand Lodge?
April 28, 1848
When did the Grand Lodge of England recognize Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts?
December 14, 1994
When did the Grand Lodge of Masons of Massachusetts, A.F.& AM. recognize the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, F. & A.M?
March 8, 1995
What is very important to any Masonic Jurisdiction?
Recognition
Why is recognition important?
It opens the avenue for visitation between jurisdictions
Why is recognition important in our case?
It opened our visitation rights from only Prince Hall Grand Lodges to Grand Lodges all over the world
Who refuse to recognize recognition from England as important?
Past Grand Master Nicholas Locker
In the system of recognition, what is one of the first prerequisites to consider?
you must have been organized by a regular grand lodge or regular subordinate lodges
Why is it important to have been organized by a regular grand lodge or regular subordinate lodges?
It prevents start-up groups — who organize themselves, by just declaring themselves to be a Grand Lodge
a Grand Lodge must be able to trace its lineage to what?
Grand Lodges of:
- England
- Scotland
- Ireland
-added to this list is African Lodge #459.
Why was African Grand Lodge #459 added to the list of lineage?
because there are over 200 Afiican American Grand Lodges in the U.S. claiming to be masonic
In order for an African American Grand Lodge to be considered legitimate it must be able to do what?
trace their lineage to African Lodge #459
Who must qualify all other African-American Grand Lodges who seek recognition?
The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
