African Lodge, No. 459 was the founding lodge of

Prince Hall Freemasonry Prince Hall Freemasonry is a branch of North American Freemasonry for African Americans founded by Prince Hall on September 29, 1784. There are two main branches of Prince Hall Freemasonry: the independent State Prince Hall Grand Lodges, most of ...

. It is the lodge from which all modern Prince Hall Lodges trace their descent.

History

Prior to the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Prince Hall Prince Hall (1807) was an American abolitionist and leader in the free black community in Boston. He founded Prince Hall Freemasonry and lobbied for education rights for African American children. He was also active in the back-to-Africa movem ...

and fourteen other free black men petitioned for admittance to the (at that time all white) Boston St. John’s Lodge. They were turned down. Having been rejected by colonial Freemasonry, they petitioned to join a Masonic lodge attached to the 38th British Foot Infantry (then meeting at Castle William Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts) which operated under a charter from the Grand Lodge of Ireland. They were accepted, becoming the first black men to be initiated into a Masonic Lodge in America. The regiment left Boston shortly after the start of the American Revolution, taking its lodge with it. Prince Hall and his associates received a "permit" from the Grand Lodge of Ireland to meet for the purpose of Masonic funeral services and processions. Under this permit, African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776. Prince Hall was elected Worshipful Master. This permit, however, was limited. It did not allow them to do any "masonic work" or to take in any new members. Hall then applied to the Grand Lodge of England for a more complete warrant (or charter). This request was granted on September 29, 1784, when H. R. H. The Duke of Cumberland (Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England) issued a charter for "The African Lodge No. 1" (later renamed African Lodge No. 459.

From Lodge to Grand Lodge

With a charter, African Lodge #459 could initiate more men from the free black community in Boston. In 1797 Prince Hall organized subsidiary lodges in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Providence, Rhode Island. These operated under the charter of African Lodge (and initially were also given the name "African Lodge" and the number "459". The Lodge in Providence soon changed its name to Hiram Lodge #3). In December 1808, these three lodges met and formed the African Grand Lodge (sometime referred to as African Grand Lodge #1) and elected Prince Hall as Grand Master. In 1847, the African Grand Lodge changed its name to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, in honor of their founding Grand Master. Other Prince Hall Grand Lodges were formed in other states, and today there are 47 Prince Hall Grand Lodges who trace their lineage to the original African Lodge.

References

{{reflist Prince Hall Masonic Lodges Masonic Lodges