Black Freemasonry in the Peach State of Georgia: 140 years from

Slavery to Sublime and from Projects to Pyramids by the Grand Historian Douglas Evans, III August 2009
FreemasonryoftodayislinkedtotheAfricaofyesterday.TheorganizationofFreemasonry intotheLodgeorCraftsystemisachildoftheOperativeGuildsofEurope.TheCathedral buildersofEuropewhousedtheoperativeMasonictoolswerethecarpentersthatlearned GothicarchitectureandgeometryfromtheAfricansciences.Todayin2009,asFreemasonswe haveinheritedthespeculativeformofthisancientsystemofbuildingfromtheEgyptianculture ofoverthousandsofyearsago.ThefirstFreemasoninantiquityissaidtohavebeencalled Imhotep(26302611BC)inAncientAfrica.Heissaidtobethefirstbuilderofoneofthe worldsoldestPyramids,calledthestepPyramidofSaqqara.Today,wecanseehowthe AfricanandEgyptiansymbolsoftheShrinershasrelatedourFraternalorderwithits Africanancestry.NoothersymboldepictsthisbetterthantheShrinersemblemofthe Pyramid.InKemet(Egypt)thedegreesandsymbolswerepassedontotheKnightsof TemplarsandtheGreeksbywayoftheMoorsduringtheCrusades.Thisisthereasonforthe symbolismandcostumesoftheShrinersindepictingthispassingofhistoryintoEurope.Asa speculativeart,Freemasonryisdatedtoaround926ADwhenKingAthelsonsummonsthe MasonsatYork,England;althoughtheorderhadpreviouslyexistedinEgyptforthousandsof yearsasthePyramidTempleUniversity. ThefirstrecognizedGrandLodgegoesbacktoFebruary1717attheAppleTreeTavernin EnglandwhenfourLodgesmet.Intheearlydays,Freemasonsmetinbarsortavernsandthe firstGrandMasterofModernsinEnglandwasAnthonySayerin1717.Beforetherewereany publicschoolsorcolleges,theMasonicLodgewasthefoundationofmanycommunitiesin Americaandabroad.In1733,anewcolony,calledGeorgia,wasformedbyEnglandasa

buffertotheSpanishinFloridaandasarefugeforthedebtorsandcriminalsofEngland.It mustalsobenotedthatinDecemberof1733atasermonoftheGrandLodgeofEnglandatthe DevilsTaverninLondon,aplanwasdevisedforalltheMasonicBrethrentohavethe opportunitytoerasetheirdebtsbycultivatingthelandofthenewcolonyofGeorgia.General OglethorpealongwithotherEnglishMasonssailedontheGoodShipAnneandlandedatthe YamacrawBluffonFebruary12,1733.Therefore,itcanbesaidthattheStateofGeorgiawasa Masonicinvention. Keepinmindthatatthistime,therewasnoUnitedStates,noConstitution,no Independencedeclared,nocars,orpavedstreets.Nooneknewforsurethetrueoriginsof Freemasonryatthistime,butthefirstuseofthetermwasin1356asaCodeofMasonic RegulationsinLondon,England.BeforethatwefindtheterminAfricaasphreforsonsand mesonsforlightorSonsoflight.In1390wehavetheRegiusManuscriptsasthefirstextant MasonicdocumentaboutFreemasonry.ItwaswritteninMiddleEnglish.Theearliestevidence ofaLodgerecordwasinScotlandatAitchisonsHavenin1598.TheminutesofMarysChapel LodgeatEdinburghrecordthefirstMasonicactivityintheOldWorld. WeknowthatthefirstFreemasontoentertheAmericanColonieswasJohnSkenein October1682,amemberofAberdeenLodge#1ofScotland.HesettledinBurlington,New Jersey.In1704,thefirstAmericantobemadeaMasonwasJonathanBelcherofAberdeen Lodge#1.ThefirstMasonicLodgemeetingtotakeplaceinNorthAmericawasSt.JohnsLodge inPhiladelphia,PAdatingbackto1731.ThefirstProvincialGrandMasterinNorthAmerica wasDanielCoxe.OnJune1,1730,DanielCoxewasappointedbytheDukeofNorfolkasthe MasonicGovernorforMassachusetts,Pennsylvania,NewJersey,andNewYork.

Simultaneously,thefirstMasonicLodgeinGeorgiawasaccreditedtoGeneralJamesEdward OglethorpeonFebruary12,1733whenheandseveralotherFreemasonslandedontheshores ofSavannah.JustshortlyafterwardsonApril13,thefirstGrandLodge(Caucasian)inthe AmericaswasformedbyHenryPriceinBoston,MA.OnFebruary10,1734,theordercameto GeorgiaofficiallywhentheGrandMasterofMasonsofEnglandandLordViscountof Weymouth,ThomasTynneissuedawarranttoRogerLacey,EsquireofSavannah.ThisLodge (forCaucasians)wascharteredandlaterknownasKingSolomonsLodgebecamethefirstin Georgia.TheGrandLodgeofGeorgiawaslaterorganizedin1786withSolomonsLodge#1and HiramLodge#2.ThefirstGrandMasterofMasonsinGeorgiawasWilliamStephensfrom 17871788.

FreemasonrydidnotenterAtlantaintheWhitecommunityuntilApril13,1847whenAtlanta Lodge#59waschartered.TheLodgemetonthecornerofLloyd(nowCentralAvenue)and AlabamaStreet.ThefirstWorshipfulMasterwasLeonardChristianSimpson.ThefirstWhite LodgecharteredinFultonCountywasFultonLodge#216onOctober30,1857.Theymeton PeachtreeandCainStreetsattheMasonicTemplewherethisbeautifuledificestillstands today.ThisisaroundthetimethatmanyBlacksmovedtotheAtlantaarea.

PrinceHallandourBeginning
FormenofAfricanAmericandescent,Freemasonrydidnotbeginuntil1775,whenPrince HallandfourteenofhiscompanionswereinitiatedintoArmyLodge#441.Thehallmarkof FreemasonryandFraternallifeforBlackmenintheshoresofAmericastartedin1775before thenationwasevenfoundedin1776.PrinceHalland14otherblackmenwereinitiatedinto ArmyLodge#441whichwasattachedtoaBritishInfantryregimentandcharteredbytheGrand

LodgeofIreland.TheLodgewasstationedinthevicinityofBostonHarboratCastle Williamscalledthe1stBattalionandwasthe38thregimentofFoot(SouthStraffordshires). ScholarsagreethatPrinceHallmayhavebeenoneofthefirstAfricanAmericanstoreceivethe degreesofFreemasonryinthecoloniesalongwithhisfourteencompanions:PeterBest,Cuff Bufform,JohnCarter,PeterFreeman,FortenHoward,CyrusJonbus,PrinceRees,Thomas Sanderson,BuestonSinger,BostonSmith,CatoSpears,PrinceTaylor,BenjaminTiber,and RichardTilley.Afterthewarended,Lodge#441allegedlyleftBostonforNewYorkandleft PrinceHallaDispensationtoassembleintoAfricanLodge#1.AfricanLodge#1wasthefirst LodgeformenofAfricandescentinAmerica.Thismarksthebeginningforthesearchfor equalityforAfricanAmericansinNorthAmerica. AlthoughmanyAfricanAmericansservedinthewarandhelpedtosecureIndependence fromGreatBritain,ourfounder,PrinceHall,couldnotgetaChartertooperatealegalLodgein Americaduetotheracialsentimentandfraternalhypocrisy.Consequently,onMarch2,1784 andJune30th;PrinceHallsenttwopetitionstotheGrandLodgeofEngland(Moderns)bywayof WilliamMoodyofBrotherlyLoveLodge#55.OnSeptember20th,thepetitionwasgrantedand itwasreceivedmakingAfricanLodge#1intoAfricanLodge#459ontherollsoftheGrand LodgeofEngland.NoticetheuseofthenameAfrican.Theydidnotnamethefirstorganized bodyinAmericaafterBlack,ColoredorNegro,butdecidedtolinkthemselveswiththeir motherland.ThisnowworldfamousCharterwasthendocumentedandexecutedbytheDuke ofCumberlandandsignedbytheEarlofEffingham.TheCharterwasdeliveredonMarch10, 1787byCaptainScott(cousinofPaulRevere)andmemberoftheSonsofPhiladelphiaLodge. ThiseventmarksthefirstorganizationofanygroupforBlacksintheNewWorld.Thefirst GreekfraternitiesoftheSigmaPiPhi(Boule)andtheAlphaswerestartedin1904and1906

Respectively;over100yearsafterPrinceHallFreemasonry. IfweexaminethistimeperiodintheSouth,duringtheCivilWar,aBlackmansoughtrefuge fromthewarbyleavinghishometownofSavannahandsailingtoBoston,MA.JamesM. Simms,whileinBoston,becameaBaptistMinisteraswellasaFreemason.Keepinmindthat Slaveryhadbeeninthestatesince1750,thoughwhentheColonyofGeorgiawaschartered Slaverywasnotpermittedintheterritory.FreemasonryintheSouth,atthistime,hadmany obstaclesinitsdevelopment.WithauthorityfromtheAfricanGrandLodgeofMassachusetts,as aprovincialGrandMasterforFlorida,Georgia,andAlabama,Rev.Simmscharteredthefirst MasonicLodgeinGeorgiaformenofAfricanAmericandescentonFebruary4,1866with EurekaLodge#11.ThislodgewascharteredbytheNationalCompactGrandLodgeof Massachusetts.SimmscharteredJohnT.HiltonLodge#13onSeptemberof1866inSavannah, alsocharteredbytheGrandLodgeofMassachusetts.OnDecember6,1866,thethirdLodgefor AfricanAmericanswascharteredinAugusta,GAasBannekarLodge#38,whichwaschartered bytheGrandLodgeofPennsylvania.OnAugust22,1870Rev.JamesSimmshelpstoorganize theGrandLodgeofGeorgia(forBlacks)withEureka#1,Hilton#2,andBannekar#3.Thelistof GrandMastersinGeorgiafortheMostWorshipfulPrinceHallGrandMastersoftheGrand LodgeofGeorgia: 18701872Rev.JamesM.Simms
18721874LouisB.Toomer 18741883JohnH.DeVeaux 18831886AlexanderHarris 18861888AnthonyK.Desverney 18881889WilliamE.Terry 18891894JohnD.Campbell

18941901WilliamE.Terry 19011931Dr.HenryRutherfordButler 19311961JohnWesleyDobbs 19611991Dr.X.L.Neal 19911995NealA.McQueen 19952000BenjaminP.Barksdale 20002005WillieL.Williams

2005presentRamseyDavis,Jr. In2009,ourGrandMaster,RamseyDavisJr.hasprepareduswellforthe21stCentury.We havepurchasedinthelastcoupleofyears,anewmultimilliondollarbuildinginFultonCounty, Georgia,toserveasourheadquarters.GrandMasterDavisalsopurchasedourolderbuilding fromthe5originalLodgeownersin2006,andtodayitservesasameetingplaceformanyof ourLodgeswithintheAtlantaMasonicDistrict.Thisolderbuildingon330AuburnAvenuewas completedin1940,byGrandMasterJohnWesleyDobbs. TheLeadershipwithinthePrinceHallfamilyofGeorgiahasbeenamongtheWhosWhoor thebestofoursociety.ThefirstGrandMasterandpioneerinGeorgiawasJamesMerilous Simms.SimmswaswellknownintheBaptistChurchaswellasinstrumentalinconductinga secretschoolforBlackspriortotheCivilWar.Hewasgiven39lashesinapublicbeatingfor beingcaughtteachingyoungblackshowtoreadandwrite.OurfirstGrandMasterwhoserved for2yearswasanorator,politician,writer,andfraternalorganizer.HewasalsoanArmy ChaplainandwaselectedtoserveonetermintheGeorgiaHouseofRepresentativesfor ChathamCounty.In1867,SimmshelpedpublishanewspapercalledtheSouthernRadical,the firstperiodicalpublishedbyaBlackpersoninSavannah.SimmswasalsoaJudgeandfirst

ProctorofSavannahStateCollege.In1888heauthored,TheFirstColoredBaptistChurchof NorthAmerica.Our2ndGrandMasterwasLouisB.Toomer.GrandMasterToomerwasone ofthreeMasonicfoundersfortheBlacknewspaper,TheSavannahTribune.Thispaperisstillin print.Bro.ToomerservedtheGrandLodgefortwoyearsandwasalsooneofthefoundersof theRepublicanPartyinGeorgia.The3rdGrandMasterofMasonsinGeorgia,JohnDeVeaux, wasalsooneofthefoundersoftheSavannahTribune.DeVeauxwasalsooneoftheorganizers fortheRepublicanPartyandwasalsooneofthefoundersoftheWageEarnersBank.Grand MasterDeVeauxwascommissionedbytheGovernorofGeorgiaasalifetimeColonel.He servedasGrandMasterfor9yearsandassistedJamesSimmsandLouisToomerwiththe formationoftheGrandLodgeofGeorgiaonAugust22,1870inSavannah.In1889,heleft SavannahtobecometheAssistantCollectorofCustomsfortheSavannahPortatBrunswick. ThenextGrandMasterofGeorgiawasAlexanderHarris,awellknownministerfromSavannah. Rev.Harrisservedfor3years.ThenextGrandMaster,AnthonyDesverneyalsoservedfor2 years.Desverneylikehispredecessorswasalsoamilitaryman.HebecameCaptainanda CommanderoftheColquetBluesInfantryUnit.HehadaseatontheSavannahCotton Exchange,andwhenhedieditwassaidthatDesverneywasthewealthiestNegroinChatham County. ItisaninterestingfactthatmostoftheGrandMastersthatformedtheGrandLodgeof GeorgiaforBlackmenwereallconnectedtotheBlackChurchaswellastheU.S.Military.They wereallaccomplishedandinmanycasesverysuccessfulbusinessmen.Mostofouroriginal foundershavegravesitesintheCityofSavannahatthehistoricLaurelGroveCemetery.Itis locatedastheSouthCemeteryonB.StreetoffofMainStreet.Thesemenareourfounders thatsacrificedsomuchtobringtheFraternitytotheAfricanAmericancommunityatatime

whentherewasnoCivilRightsmovement,nocellphonesoremailstofurthertheircause; onlydedication. In1901,inthe20thCenturyFreemasonrycametotheBlackCommunityfromSavannahto AtlantawiththeelectionofDr.H.R.Butler.HenryRutherfordButlerwasthefirstGrand MasterofMasonsfromoutsidetheSavannaharea.HewasoneofthefirstAfricanAmericans topracticemedicineintheAtlantaarea.Hewasthefirstblackpersontowriteanarticlefor theAtlantaJournalandConstitution,calledWhattheColoredpeopleareDoing.Perhaps noneofthePrinceHallleadersareaswellknownasthe10thGrandMasterforGeorgia,John WesleyDobbs.GrandMasterDobbswasalegendaryalmostmythicalfigure.Dr.Butlerbefore himhadmadeplansforaMasonicTempleinAtlanta,butitwasDobbswhobroughtthatvision toreality.Dobbstookovertheorderin1931andwasfacedwithmanyobstaclessuchasthe GreatDepression.TheeconomicillsoftheDepressiontookourmembershipinGeorgiafrom 24,000to2,500.Eveninthefaceofthateconomicfallout,GrandMasterDobbshadthenew MasonicTempleconstructedintheheartofBlackAtlanta.Hehadthebuildingfinancedalong withthe5LodgesthatmetonAuburnanditwascompletedfor$31,750,raisedin1937just4 yearsaftertheDepression. Dobbswasapoliticalmastermind,andbecausehepromisedtheAtlantaMayor,William Hartsfield)10,000votes,inAprilof1948theCityofAtlantagotitsfirstBlackPoliceOfficers. DobbswassowellknownthatMayorHartsfieldbethimthathecouldsendalettertoDobbs fromEuropewithnoaddress,justlabeledasGrandMasterDobbs.Monthslater,Hartsfield wonthebet,whenDobbsreceivedtheletter.DobbsalsoorganizedtheNegroVotersLeague andwasveryinstrumentalinthepoliticsofAtlantaandGeorgia.ThefirstBlackMayorof

AtlantawasMaynardJackson,electedin1974.MaynardwasthegrandsonofGrandMaster Dobbs,andlearnedmuchaboutthepoliticalarenafromhisgrandfather.DobbsMasonic Templestillstandstodayandhousesover7MasonicLodgesand6EasternStarChapters (femaleauxiliary).IhaveDobbsFBIfile,andJ.EdgarHooverandhisCointelProtookmuch interestinDobbs.GrandMasterDobbsbestfriend,J.EarlAcey,wasamemberoftheoldest LodgeinAtlantaforBlacks,SaintJames#4.Bro.Aceywasamulattothatlookedsolight skinnedthatmanyassertthatDobbshadAceytojointheKuKluxKlaninordertokeeptabson thoseintheCitythatkepttabsonhim.DobbscoinedthetermSweetAuburntorefertothe businessandeconomicpowerthatcouldbefoundonAuburnAvenue.Duringthe50s,Forbes MagazinereportedAuburnAvenuetobethewealthiestStreetinBlackAmerica.WhenJames Brownoranymajorentertainercametotown,theystayedonAuburnAvenue.They performedonAuburnattheRoyalPeacockandwerebookedbypromoter,B.B.Beamonof PrinceHallLodgeW.C.Thomas#112.PrinceHallFreemasonryandtheCivilRightsmovement wereintertwined.JustastheundergroundrailroadintheNorthwasledbyPrinceHall MasonsfromOhiotoCanada,theracialprogressofBlacksintheSouthwassteeredbythe PrinceHallFraternity. CurrentlythedemographicsofFreemasonryinGeorgiain2009showsmorethan200 MasonicLodgesandabout185EasternstarChapters.Wehaveover2,500menasMasonsand 5,000ladiesasEasternStars.WehaveourGrandEastinandahistoricalbuildingonAuburn Avenue.WealsoownpropertyinAmericas,Georgiathatusedtohouseouryouthinwhatwas theMasonicOrphansHome.TheGrandLodgedonatesthousandsofdollarsannuallyandgives scholarshipstodeservingstudentseachyear.WehavecharteredLodgesandchaptersabroad inplaceslikeBelgium,Germany,andtheU.S.VirginIslands.OurnewestLodgeislocated

currentlyintheBritishVirginIslands. Inconclusion,theheritageoftheMasonicFraternityinGeorgiaisassweetasitspeaches.In 1899,withthehelpofBro.SolomonJohnsonandW.E.Terry,theorderoftheEasternStarwas formedintheCityofSavannah.TheOESGrandChapterforGeorgiawasformedat10:00amon August20thandthefirstWorthyMatronwasDorothyEdwards.Thisorganizationisforthe wives,sisters,mothers,ordaughtersofMasons. TherehavebeenmanynotablecontributionsmadebymembersofthePrinceHallGrand LodgeofGeorgia,nottomentionthegrowthoftheorderoverthepastfewyears.Ourbuilding onAuburnAvenuehasbeendeclaredasaStateandNationalHistoricalBuildingandhasstrong tiestotheCivilRightsMovementforthelast40years.OneoftheNationsoldestBlackradio stationswashousedonthe2ndflooroftheMasonicTemple,calledWERDradio.The headquartersoftheSouthernChristianLeadershipConferencewasstartedrightonthe1stfloor oftheMasonicTempleonAuburnAvenue.Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.sofficewasrighttherein theSCLCsectionofourbuilding.In2007,acontroversyarosewithrespecttotheMasonic TempleandtheKingEstateofDr.MartinLutherking,Jr.Therewasalawsuitthatreferenced someletterswrittenbyDr.Kingandwasdiscoveredinthehomeofaresidentthatdocuments thefactthat,Dr.KingwouldtapontheceilingoftheMasonicTempleandtheDJfromWERD radiostationupstairs.TheDJwouldloweramicrophonethroughacrackinthefloorandDr. Kingwouldgivehisweeklyradioaddresstothepublic. ManynotablesareconnectedtoPrinceHallFreemasonryinGeorgia.Itisbelievedthat ThurgoodMarshallreceivedhis32nddegreeinAtlanta,andheldmembershipinAtlanta

Consistory#24(Orderfor32ndDegreeMasons).IthasbeendocumentedthatMartinLuther King,Sr.wasamemberofthePrinceHallLodgeinAtlanta,andwasmadea33rdDegreeherein 1944alongwithRev.WilliamHolmesBorders.IthasbeensaidthatW.E.B.Duboisaffiliated withthePrinceHallLodgeduringhistenureatAtlantaUniversity.MayorsMaynardJackson, AndrewYoung,andBillCampbellwereallmadeMasonsonAuburnAvenueattheMasonic Temple.SeveralcouncilmembersandInternationalfiguressuchasCongressmanJohnLewis andJulianBondwerealsomadeMasonsat330AuburnAvenue.Wehavecomealongway sincetheendoftheCivilWarandtheeffectsofLincolnsNewSouth.SincetheEmancipation Proclamationhowever,WhiteMasonsinGeorgiaevenin2009;donotrespecttherightsof BlackmentobeFreemasons.ThisisonlytruefortheseveralConfederatesStatesbelowthe MasonDixonLine;andallotherStatesintheU.S.aswellasallotherforeignNationsworld widedorecognizePrincehallMasonryaslegitimate.ThereisonelocalMasoniclegendthat claimsthatDr.King,Jr.wasgoodfriendswithGrandMasterX.L.Neal,bothofwhomcameout ofMorehouseCollege.ThelegendclaimsthatGrandMasterNealhadpromisedtomakeDr. KingaMasonwhenhecamebackfromtheSanitationStrikeinMemphis;butasfatewould haveit,Dr.KingnevermadeitbackfromMemphis.However,in1999,GrandMasterBenjamin BarksdalegavehimaposthumoushonorbyDeclaringhimamemberoftheCraftand Presentingittohiswidow,CorretaScottKing,ataMorehousecelebrationforourCivilRights icon. ThePrinceHallFreemasonsofGeorgiahavemovedmountainsandwasthefuelbehindthe CivilRightsMovement.WehavebeenintheheartofBlackAtlantaonAuburnAvesince1940. GrandMasterWillieWilliamsandBenjaminBarksdalehavedonemuchtofurtherthegrowthof theFraternityinGeorgia.GrandMasterRamseyDavishasbroughtusintomoreeconomic

independencewiththepurchaseofourGrandEastinunincorporatedFultonCounty.Today, wehavemanyyouthgroups,andthemostrecognizedistheGeorgiaKnightsofPythagoras. Thisgroupmentorsyoungmen,fromtheageof8to20.ThePrinceHallMasonsofGeorgia likemanyotherStateshavetheScottishandYorkRiteBodiesaswellastheShriners.Weare doingmanygreatthingshereinGeorgia,butcanalwaysimprovewithyourhelp.Ourwebsite iswww.mwphglga.org.Lookusup;wehavebeenaroundsince1870,soweplantostayfora while. Fraternally, Bro.DouglasEvans,III GrandHistorian