Conference of Grand Masters

On October 1, 2018 I had stopped in at the Grand Lodge Offices for a cup of coffee with the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Minnesota Ed Halpaus, and Most Worshipful Grand Master of Prince Hall Masons of Minnesota Joe Gonzalez.
We have known each other for a couple of decades, so we have many shared passions to talk about. The majority of the conversation was about Masonic Education, books, foreign jurisdictions running the gambit from the Congo to France, and of course membership.

We don't have a chance to get together often, but the time spent is precious. The coffee was pretty good too.

Today is the Birthday of a Great American

Today is the Birthday of a Great American, Master Mason, Patriot, and first Civil Rights Leader. Grand Master Prince Hall. Grand Master Prince was born on September 12, 1735.

Prince Hall was born into slavery but eventally became one of Bostons most prominent citzens during America's revolutionarry period. He was the founder of the "African Lodge of the Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of Boston...the world's first lodge of black Freemasons.

Until today there has to my knowledge been no memorial deserving of Prince Hall. The Members of the Friends of Prince Hall Memorial Fund Committee is working to change that. They held a dedication cermemony on the Cambridge Common (Massachusetts) in honor of Prince Hall's birth and to pour the foundation of the monument. Click here and go to their website and see what the plans are, learn more about Prince Hall and take the opportunity to make a donation to honor a Great Mason.
There are 47 Prince Hall Grand Lodges in the United States with 300,000 Brothers worldwide who share that lineage.

The photo is of Grand Master Prince Hall's grave, which is located at Coops Hill Burying Ground, Boston Mass.

I plan on writing a more fitting article covering in more detail, the life and accomplishments of this honorable, progressive, memorable leader of the early Freemasons.