Description
In early March 1775, an Irish soldier initiated a dozen or more black Bostonian men into a lodge of Freemasons, making them probably the first people of African descent formally admitted into Freemasonry in the Atlantic world. Prince Hall, a freedman, would emerge as the leader of this group as they worked together to establish a tradition of African American Freemasonry that has persisted ever since--a tradition that still carries his name.
All Men Free and Brethren is the first in-depth historical consideration of Prince Hall freemasonry from the Revolutionary era to the early decades of the twentieth century. Through a growing network of lodges, African American Masons together promoted fellowship, Christianity, and social respectability, while standing against slavery and white supremacy. The contributors to this book examine key aspects in the history of the Prince Hall Masons, from accounts of specific lodges and leaders to broader themes in African American history: abolitionist activism, the limits of freedom during Reconstruction, political oration, the role of women in the black community, and relationships between Masonry and African American churches. Also included are several appendixes containing key texts from Prince Hall Masonry, a glossary of Masonic terms, and lists of archival repositories and contact information for present-day lodges. Edited by Peter P. Hinks and Stephen Kantrowitz, All Men Free and Brethren is a major contribution of the history of Freemasonry, African American history, and the broader history of race, citizenship, and community in the United States.
Author: Peter P. Hinks
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Published: 03/15/2013
Pages: 280
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.40w x 1.00d
ISBN13: 9780801450303
ISBN10: 0801450306
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Freemasonry & Secret Societies
- Social Science | Ethnic Studies | American | African American & Black Studies
- History | United States | General
About the Author
Peter P. Hinks is the author of To Awaken My Afflicted Brethren. He has worked extensively as a public historian, editor, and teacher.
Stephen Kantrowitz is Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of More Than Freedom and Ben Tillman and the Reconstruction of White Supremacy. Leslie A. Lewis is 66th Grand Master of Masons, of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts.