By safeguarding this rich collection, the Amistad Research Center plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the legacy of the Prince Hall Masons and the African American community is preserved, honored, and shared with the world. It allows for a fuller understanding of how these Masons fought for justice and equality not only within their communities but also in shaping the larger currents of American and global history. The professional archiving of the Prince Hall Collection stands as an essential step in ensuring that these vital records continue to inform and inspire future generations of scholars, activists, and Freemasons alike. The Prince Hall Masons of Louisiana trace their origins to antebellum New Orleans and the establishment of St. James A.M.E. Church, the first African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Deep
South. In the 1840s, Charles Doughty, James B. Berry, James Hunter, John Parsons, and Jacob Norager—who were already Prince Hall Freemasons and members of the St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church—were instrumental in organizing St. James A.M.E. Church in New Orleans. 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 church ’ s pastor. In 1849, the members of St. James A.M.E. Church petitioned Reverend Stringer to establish a Masonic lodge, and he responded by issuing a dispensation to form the lodge. This led to the founding of Richmond Lodge No. 4 in New Orleans, which was initially governed by the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania and later Ohio. By 1863, two additional lodges, Stringer No. 11 and Parsons No. 18, were established, setting the stage for the creation of a Grand Lodge. On January 5, 1863, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana was formed at the hall of Richmond Lodge No. 4, initially named the Eureka Grand Lodge to distinguish it from predominantly white lodges in
Louisiana. The first Grand Master was John Parsons, a prominent African American political leader in New Orleans. In 1944, the Eureka Grand Lodge ’ s act of incorporation was amended, and the organization was renamed the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana. Throughout its history, the Prince Hall Masons of Louisiana have been staunch advocates for social justice, playing a foundational role in the creation and support of various organizations dedicated to dismantling systemic
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