| Quote Of The Month |
|---|
|
"...for the man who thinks that because he hath been made a Mason, and is called so, and at the same time will willfully neglect to attend his Lodge, he may be assured he will never make a good Mason, nor ought he to be looked upon as a good member of the craft. For if his example was followed, where would be the Lodge..."
Prince Hall
A Charge Delivered To the Brethren of African Lodge - 1792
|
 |
Home
| Prince Hall to be placed on Cambridge Common |
|
|
|
Hear this article
 Black Patriot, Civil Rights Pioneer, and Fraternal Leader Prince Hall to be placed on Cambridge Common. When George Washington came to Cambridge to take command of the Continental army, black men who had fought at Concord and Bunker Hill stood in the ranks. When it was declared that Black men, free or slave, were not welcome to enlist, “Prince Hall, an African and a person of great influence among his color in great Boston,” spoke for them, that, “they too could gain their freedom with their swords.”
Cambridge has been honored to serve as the location of the first National Memorial Monument to Prince Hall, recognizing his achievements as the first Black civil rights leader in America. City Councilor Denise Simmons presented a proposal for a monument to Prince Hall, on September 12, 2005. The Cambridge City Council concurred with a 9-0 vote.The City Manager, appointed a Prince Hall Memorial committee, composed of Cambridge citizens and other interested persons, to oversee this project. On May 31, 2007, the Cambridge Historical Commission, after considering the appropriateness of the proposal, granted approval, contingent on the artist's conception, that the monument be placed on the Common.
Prince Hall was born in 1738 and died in 1807. He is popularly known as the founder of the first Black Masonic Lodge (1775) in the United States. His true love was around the education of black children. He organized the first school for Black children in 1797, which became Boston's first black public school. He also led the fight for adult literacy, before anyone ever considered it, and personally assisted in the education of Black adults in Massachusetts. Prince Hall had a Methodist mission in Cambridge and was well acquainted with the Black persons who were mostly slaves and servants. On June 24, 1797, Prince Hall gave a speech, or charge, to a group in Cambridge (Menotomy) where he proclaimed, “give the right had of affection and fellowship to whom it justly belongs:Let their colour or complexion be what it will, let their nation be what it may, for they are your brethren and it is your indispensable duty so to do. Prince Hall was the first civil rights leader of his time. In addition to the petition to the state legislature to educate black children, he also petitioned to free all slaves and the return of black seamen who had been kidnapped. The resolution submitted by Councilor Simmons read: WHEREAS: Generation after generation of Americans have looked at our founding fathers as role models that all children and our community can be proud of; and WHEREAS: So many persons, especially our children, do not know who Prince Hall (1738-1807) was or properly consider him as one of the founding fathers: and WHEREAS: Prince Hall met with Commander George Washington in Cambridge, July2, 1775 to plead for blacks to be allowed to join the Revolutionary Army: and WHEREAS: he was the first Black community leader and civil rights leader in America: and WHEREAS: Prince Hall petitioned the Great and General Court of Massachusetts to end slavery and the slave trade; and WHEREAS: Prince Hall is primarily known as the first Black man made a Mason in America and as organizer and founder of African Lodge in Boston on July 3, 1776, now known as the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, F&AM with many Cambridge citizens and a rich history of contributions to our city; and WHEREAS: An address Prince Hall gave to African Lodge at Menotomy,(Cambridge). June 24, 1797 told of the relationship between blacks and whites at that time, and; WHEREAS; A cemetery for Black Masons in Cambridge, now a part of Arlington, is the burial site of eight Black Masons, now therefore be it ORDERED; that the CityManager be and hereby is requested to convene and work with a committee, including representatives from the Cambridge Historical Commission, and interested and informed citizens, to select asuitable site on or around the Cambridge Common to honor Prince Hall and his contributions to the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Country. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
| Grand Lodge Calendar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| MI PHA CHIP In The News |
|---|
| PONTIAC - A free child identification program is being provided in Pontiac schools to ensure that if a child goes missing, information will immediately be ready to provide to police. Read Full Story Here |
| G.L. Glee Club |
|---|
|
The Most Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Michigan is desrious of formning a Grand Lodge Glee Club. If you are interested in helping this endeavor to come into fruition, please contact Bro. Levi Wooten at 313-331-7795 as soon as possible. If you know of any Brother who may be interested in being a part of this group, please have them contact Bro. Levi Wooten. Fraternally, Calrence Round, Jr. M.W. Grand Master |
| PHA MICHIP Event Request Form |
|---|
|
The PHA MICHIP Program has begun to promote our very own PHA MICHIP(Child Identification Program) initiative. If you are an organization, school, daycare, etc and are interested in utilizing this FREE service, then please click here and complete the the Event Request Form.
|
| Who's Online |
|---|
| We have 9 guests online |
| M.I. Prince Hall News | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Popular |
|---|