9 minute read
Origin of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia
James R. Morgan III Corinthian Lodge No. 18 - PHA Worshipful Grand Historian & Archivist, MWPHGLDC
WB James Morgan, III
The history of our Grand Jurisdiction is truly a venerable one, for the tap roots of its origin reach deeply into the virgin soil of the very nation in which it has existed and influenced the lives of its devotees for more than two centuries.
All who have been the recipients of its benefits and those who now enjoy the privileges of the great heritage willed to them by the renowned Founder of Prince Hall Masonry, owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude not only to our illustrious Patron and Progenitor of our great Fraternity but, also, to those illustrious Brethren who planted the seed which germinated and gave birth to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. The origin of our Prince Hall Masonry may be traced back to the period of the American Revolution. The organization and establishment of the first Lodge of African American Freemasons took place in Boston, Massachusetts when Prince Hall and fourteen other Africans were initiated into the Craft by John Batt, a soldier affiliated with Military Lodge No. 441 under the Grand Lodge of Ireland. This Lodge was attached to the Army of General Gage during the Revolutionary War in 1776, and these stalwart pioneers made numerous and unsuccessful attempts to obtain permission to organize a Lodge of Black Masons from White Masons of the Colony of Massachusetts; undaunted, however, by the repeated refusals, Prince Hall petitioned the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) for a warrant to establish a Lodge of Free Negroes.
His prayer was granted, and on September 29, 1784, African Lodge No. 459 was established under a charter issued by the Grand Lodge of England. Due to difficulties resulting from the recent war, this same charter did not arrive physically into the Lodge’s possession until the year 1787.
The year 1787 was momentous for Black Americans. In that year, the Free African Society was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Richard Allen and Absolom Jones lead the exodus of Blacks from the Saint George Methodist Episcopal Church (after being pulled from their knees during prayer) and laid the foundation upon which was built the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churches. Richard Allen was ordained by Bishop Francis Asbury. Absalom Jones was the first ordained Episcopal priest in the United States. Later, in 1797 Prince Hall journeyed from Boston to install Absalom Jones as the first Grand Master of Masons in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Richard Allen the first Grand Treasurer.
Prince Hall was an active abolitionist, educator, orator, and business owner. Prince Hall authored several petitions to end slavery to the Massachusetts State Legislature and even petitioned for his people to be allowed to return to their native Africa. African Lodge members became early advocates for education, equal justice, and abolition. Following his
William Custis Costin was an abolitionist, educator and messenger for the Bank of Washington. He was the third Worshipful Master
death on December 7, 1807, the name was changed to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge in memory of its eminent benefactor.
From this nucleus, Prince Hall Masonry has radiated its influence throughout the world, culminating in the establishment of Lodges and Grand Lodges in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and throughout the United States.
The actual establishment of origin of our Grand Lodge dates back two centuries to the establishment of Social Lodge, No. 7—the first Lodge of Black Masons to be organized and constituted in the nation’s capital. That story begins on January 1, 1823, when William C. Costin, Francis Datcher, Sr., William Jackson, and William Wormley were initiated, passed, and raised in Laurel Lodge, No. 2 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Several years later, they petitioned the First Independent African Grand Lodge of North America (located in Pennsylvania) for a warrant to establish a Master’s Lodge in the District of Columbia. Their prayer was granted and, on June 6, 1825, Social Lodge, No. 7 was established under a charter issued by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and duly constituted by M. W. Grand Master Peter Richmond, assisted by R. W. Deputy Grand Master Richard Phiske, along with R.W. Senior and Junior Grand Wardens Thomas Dupree and Prius Clover, with the following principal officers deputized and duly installed: John W. Prout, Worshipful Master; Francis Datcher, Sr., Senior Warden; William Jackson, Junior Warden; Moses Liverpool, Treasurer; and William C. Costin, Secretary. Also commissioned to serve as Senior and Junior Deacons were William Wormley and Lloyd Nichols.
Ten years later, Sandy Bryant, Benjamin Crier and William Dudley were made Master Masons in St. George’s Lodge, No. 32 in Liverpool, England. Settling in Alexandria, Virginia, about 1838, these seafaring men became affiliated with Social Lodge No.7. Shortly thereafter, with the Rev. John Thomas (also a resident of that city and a member of Social Lodge), they petitioned the Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant to establish a Lodge in that city. Their request was granted and on August 26, 1845, another new Lodge—Universal No. 10—was duly constituted.
One year later, in 1846, John T. Costin, William Dudley, Benjamin Crier, Daniel Smith, John Thomas and William Bruce, all residents of Alexandria, Virginia, petitioned Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant to establish a Master Mason’s Lodge. Their petition was granted and, thus, a third Lodge—Felix Lodge No. 17—was duly constituted under a warrant issued by that Grand Lodge.
Early in the year 1848, John E. Thomas, then Worshipful Master of Social Lodge No. 7, issued a summons to Universal No. 10 and Felix No. 17 to meet in a convention for the purpose of organizing a Grand Lodge for the District of Columbia. The meeting was held accordingly on Sunday, March 27, 1848, held in the Fleet School located on M Street between 23rd and 24th Streets, in Georgetown, D.C., and presided over by the District Deputy Grand Master David P. Jones of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Attending that meeting were five representatives from the three existing Lodges.
As a result of their deliberations, the organization and constitution of the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was consummated with the following principal Grand Officers deputized and duly installed: Charles Datcher of Social Lodge No. 7 - M.W. Grand Master; Daniel H. Smith of Universal Lodge No. 10- R.W. Deputy Grand Master; Richard Phiske of Felix Lodge No. 17- R.W. Senior Grand Warden; Francis Datcher, Jr.- R.W. Junior Grand Warden; Joseph Frazier of Universal Lodge No. 10- R.W. Grand Treasurer; and John T. Costin of Felix Lodge No. 17- R.W. Grand Secretary.
Following the establishment and constitution of the newly organized Grand Lodge, the three Lodges surrendered their original charters for charters issued by the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia on March 27, 1848, and became designated as Social Lodge No. 1, Universal Lodge No.2 and Felix Lodge No.3.
Subsequently, however, Universal Lodge No.2 withdrew from the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to assist in the formation of a Grand Jurisdiction in the State of Virginia, later becoming Universal Lodge No. 1 of that Jurisdiction.
The name of the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was changed by a resolution in 1868, dropping the word “Union” from our official title. Another name change was adopted on December 12, 1917, which was officially recorded on December 31, 1924. On the aforementioned date, the Grand Lodge voted to become an incorporated body
Mock-up of African Lodge No. 459.
under the name of The Most Worshipful Acacia Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia.
During the administration of the late Simpson W. Wallace, who served as Grand Master during the years 1945-1946, the name of the Grand Lodge was changed and incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia as the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., of the District of Columbia, Inc.
With the organization, establishment, and constitution of our Grand Jurisdiction, the consummation of which culminated a series of events that fully substantiates our claim to a direct and regular lineage from the Grand Lodge of England through Prince Hall and the Grand Lodges of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, the legitimacy of our rights and that of every man of color to fully enjoy the privileges, rights, and benefits of this time-honored Fraternity have been firmly established because of our conformity, in every respect, to the ancient laws and general regulations of the Craft.
All who now enjoy those privileges, rights, and benefits and those who shall travel the same path we have trod should not only view with great pride the heritage which has been guaranteed to us by our illustrious forbears. Incumbent upon us is a solemn duty or obligation not only to protect the heritage and to preserve the prestige and reputation of our Great Fraternity, but also to ensure that their labors were not in vain, nor their strength spent for naught. A LIST OF WARRANTED LODGES
Social Lodge No. 1 Felix Lodge No.3 Hiram Lodge No. 4 Eureka Lodge No. 5 Meridian Lodge No. 6
Widow’s Son Lodge No.7
Warren Lodge No.8 Pythagoras Lodge No. 9 John F. Cook Lodge No. 10 St. John’s Lodge No. 12 Prince Hall Lodge No. 14 Charles Datcher Lodge No. 15 James H. Hill Lodge No. 16 Ionic Lodge No. 17 Corinthian Lodge No. 18 Doric Lodge No. 19 Fidelity Lodge No. 20 Harmony Lodge No. 22 Victory Lodge No. 23 Redemption Lodge No. 24 Acacia Lodge No. 25 Fellowship Lodge No. 26 Prudence Lodge No. 27 Thomas L. Johnson Lodge No. 28 Nathaniel M. Adams, Jr. Military Lodge No. 29
END NOTES:
*Social Lodge No. 1, original date warranted – June 6, 1825 **(Universal Lodge No.2- Warranted August 26, 1845, as Universal Lodge No. 10, withdrew from the Union Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to assist in the formation of the Grand Jurisdiction in the State of Virginia. ***Felix Lodge No.3, original date warranted- April4, 1846 becoming Universal Lodge No. 1, of that jurisdiction. ***This Grand Lodge has had two Lodges committed to the pages of history, namely Sprig of Acacia Lodge No. 11 and Jewel Lodge No. 21.
