M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. for the State of Louisiana
Historical Note
By the 1840s, Charles Doughty, James B. Berry, James Hunter, John Parsons, and Jacob Norager, already Prince Hall Freemasons and members of the St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, organized the St. James A.M.E. Church in New Orleans. According to the act introduced in the Louisiana Legislature for the establishment of the church, all members had to be free and were limited to meeting between sunrise and sunset. In December 1848, church members purchased a lot on North Roman Street between Customhouse and Bienville streets for the establishment of the church. Reverend Thomas Stringer, a Prince Hall Mason and a traveling elder for the Indiana District of the A.M.E. Church, arrived in New Orleans to serve as the pastor of the church. In 1849, members of St. James A.M.E. Church petitioned Reverend Stringer to organize a Masonic lodge. Stringer complied with the request and issued a dispensation to form a lodge. A few months later, the Richmond Lodge No. 4 in New Orleans was established, first under the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania and then later under Ohio.
By 1863, New Orleans established an additional two lodges (Stringer No. 11 and Parsons No. 18), enabling the trio to form a Grand Lodge. The Louisiana Masons petitioned Ohio to incorporate their own state Grand Lodge and received its charter. This Grand Lodge of Louisiana was established January 5, 1863, at the hall of Richmond Lodge, No. 4. The first three lodges, Richmond, Stringer, and Parsons were renumbered to reflect that transition; and expanded quickly throughout the state.The first Grand Master was John Parsons, a leading political figure in New Orleans. Among other early notable civic and business leaders who comprised the ranks of the Eureka Grand Lodge included Lt. Governor Oscar Dunn, who served as a Senior Grand Warden and third Grand Master and James Lewis, a Union officer of note during the Civil War who was Grand Master from 1878 to 1879.
By 1944, the 178 lodges established in the State of Louisiana were organized under the title of "Eureka."
In 1944, at the Grand Masters Conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the proliferation of imitation Black Masonic lodges throughout the country concerned these masons and thus began the discussion to formalize a name change at the national level. John Wesley Dobbs, Grand Master in Atlanta, Georgia and Harry A. Williamson, Deputy Grand Master in New York spearheaded the name change. In 1944, the act of incorporation was amended and the title of Prince Hall became the preferred name for affiliated orders throughout the United States.
In 1944, the act of incorporation for the Eureka Grand Lodge was amended and the organization was renamed--the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana. The history of the name and location of the Grand Lodge is diverse. Originally organized in 1863 under the title, "The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Louisiana," the term "Eureka" was adopted in 1864 as part of the name in order to distinguish it from the Grand Lodge of Masons of Louisiana whose members comprised of whites. The articles of incorporation adopted in 1869 deliberately omitted the title of "Eureka" since at the time there was some confusion regarding the adoption of a system of operation and allegiance to a centralized or National Lodge, between the "English Provincial System" and the "American System." There was concern that a National Grand Lodge would organize another African American Grand Lodge within the state and would override the recognition and sole authority of the M.W. Eureka Grand Lodge. By omitting the term "Eureka" from the articles of incorporation, this threat was eliminated.
At the 55th Annual Communication in June 1917, Grand Master Lewis recommended that the headquarters of the Grand Lodge be designated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, even though the lodge originated in New Orleans. John G. Lewis, Sr., Grand Master from 1903-1931 worked out of his local lodge in Natchitoches, Louisiana, as there was no temple for the Grand Lodge at that time.
The story of the Eureka Grand Lodge is not complete without mentioning the involvement of the family of John Lewis, Sr. whose activities and influence spanned generations over the Grand Lodge's history. The Lewis family produced three grand masters, John Lewis, Sr. (1903-1931), Scott A. Lewis (1931-1941), and John G. Lewis, Jr. (1941-1979). Their story reflects the story of the Eureka Grand Lodge for the first half of the twentieth century.
African American Masons founded and supported a host of social justice organizations in their quest to break down the barriers of American society. Among those organizations that received support from the Prince Hall Masons of Louisiana include the Louisiana Education Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the National Urban League. With their focus on youth and education, the Prince Hall Masons in Louisiana put their efforts toward creating the haven, Camp Chicota, for Louisiana's youth; offered financial backing to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to battle segregationists in court; conducted voter registration drives; and were the trailblazers in integrating Louisiana's transportation system.
Established in 1966, Camp Chicota is located in Turkey Creek, Louisiana, opposite of the Chicot State Park in Evangeline Parish. A joint venture of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana and the Esther Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Stars, the orders sponsor 1,500 underprivileged boys and girls during the summer for a week of camp activities. Mason Ben D. Johnson who spent many of the camp's early years working and advocating for the state's youth referred to the camp as a place where kids would understand that the orders "want to emphasize self-reliance, develop a sense of responsibility and an acceptance of discipline."
Earle L. Bradford, Sr., was elected as Grand Master at the opening session of the 106th Annual Communication in Shreveport, Louisiana in June 1979. Bradford served as Deputy Grand Master of the lodge prior to the passing of John G. Lewis, Jr. and served as interim Grand Master until elected to the post.
The Grand Masters of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall, Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana:
John Parsons 1st Grand Master (1863, 1867-1877)
Lewis Banks, 2nd Grand Master (1864)
Oscar J. Dunn, 3rd Grand Master (1864-1867)
Colonel James Lewis 4th Grand Master (1878-1880)
Charles Karney Brown, 5th Grand Master (1880-1881)
Calvin Ladd 6th Grand Master (1881-1890)
Elias A. Williams 7th Grand Master (1891-1893)
Louis R. Price, 8th Grand Master (1894-1903).
John G. Lewis, Sr. 9th Grand Master (1903-1931)
Scott A. Lewis, 10th Grand Master (1931-1941).
John G. Lewis, Jr. 11th Grand Master (1941-1979
Earle L. Bradford, Sr. 12th Grand Master (1979-1996)
Ralph Slaughter 13th Grand Master (1996- )
Citation:
Author: Laura J. Thomson and Melissa SmithAbstract:
The records of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana.