FROM THE HISTORIAN’S DESK

PRINCE HALL MASONRY

&  “Mutual Recognition”

On March 6, 1775, in Boston, the degrees of Masonry were conferred upon Prince Hall and fourteen other colored men in a military lodge; (No. 441 on the Irish Register) in the English Army attached to the 38th Regiment.

Brother Hall, it is alleged that he was born in Barbados, British West Indies.  He came to Boston, became the leader of the free Negroes of that city, and was an ordained minister.

On September 29, 1784, the Grand Lodge of England issued a charter for African Lodge No. 459 of Boston.  It was instrumental in forming the first Negro Grand Lodge in the United States.

It was in 1980, when our Worshipful Master, Raymond M. Turrell Jr. was requested by the G.L. of CT. to host a Common Table between the members of our Grand Lodge and Prince Hall Masonry.  A gathering of more than 200  Brothers from both Grand Lodges assembled and members of Brainard served up a delicious buffet style dinner. All dinned in the lodge room at our temple in New London which was converted to a grand dinning room.  Grand Lodge officers of both Grand Lodges greeted and addressed the gathering and as well as city officials.  This event was the beginning of  “Mutual Recognition”.  However it  was not obtained officially till 1989.  But the seed was planted many years prior and Brainard Lodge No. 102 is proud to have been a part of nurturing that seed. W∴ Ken Wade:  Historian