Black, White Masons Have Historic Meeting

More news stories on Segregation

Don Bolden, Burlington (North Carolina) Times News, July 14, 2009

Bula Lodge 409 AF&AM conferred the second degree in Masonry on three men Monday night, something that is done routinely in the local lodge.

But this meeting was anything but routine. In fact, it might have been the most historic meeting in the long history of Masonry in Alamance County. At this meeting, for the first time ever, the membership of Augustus Lodge 642 F&AM was in attendance and witnessed the degree work for the three men.

Bula Lodge is composed of white members and Augustus Lodge has a black membership. This meeting marked the culmination of a long trek by two groups operating separately and ignoring the existence of the other for many decades.

Last year, at the annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, the white Masonic organization in the state, a resolution was approved to officially recognize Prince Hall Grand Lodge, the black organization. Prince Hall had approved such a resolution in 2004.

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The resolution approved by the Grand Lodge last year stated that “the Grand Lodge desires to insure a continuing harmonious relationship between it and Most Worshipful Prince Hall Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina and Its Jurisdictions, Inc. to provide for the successful coexistence of both Grand Lodges to promote Masonry in general among all people . . .

”. . . in the best interest of Masonry everywhere and particular in North Carolina that these two Grand Lodges exercising Masonic jurisdiction in this state mutually recognize each other while each retains its own authority and jurisdiction.”

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Original article

(Posted on July 15, 2009)

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Comments

1 — Yorkshireman wrote at 4:17 AM on July 16:

Addressing the gathered Brethren should be fun… opening with “Worshipful Master…..”. Methinks this simply will not be permitted as such a comment will be interpreted as a reminder of slavery and will cause offence. Perhaps ‘Yo Bro’ would be more acceptable.

2 — Bill Corr wrote at 1:53 PM on July 16:

According to P. J. O’Rourke and at least one other observer, Haitian voodoo was - in part - a copy of the French slaveowners’ Masonic rituals.

No Masons bite off roosters’ heads, however.

3 — Shawn (the female) wrote at 4:20 PM on July 16:

The same thing is happening in Georgia right now. My husband is a Freemason, and has been for many, many years. Blacks have their own Lodges, and both races have historically wanted them kept separate. The Georgia Grand Lodge recently allowed an Atlanta Lodge to raise a black man into an all white Lodge. Now the Grand Master (otherwise known as the Grand Poobah) is accompanying the new black Mason around to all the state Lodges. It is creating a firestorm within the Lodges, as never before has any newly inducted Mason been paraded around to all the Lodges, and it’s obvious the ONLY reason this one is is because of his color. The Georgia Freemasons is about to come apart at the seams.

4 — Anonymous wrote at 11:29 PM on July 16:

Yorkshireman #1: What sprang to mind as I read the article, and your comment, was that the Blacks might open with, “Woyshifful Massa”. I can only imagine the chuckling by the Whites.

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