[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1413 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1413

 Recognizing Prince Hall for his contributions as a Revolutionary Era 
    activist, Masonic leader, and his lasting impact in the African-
                      American fight for justice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 9, 2024

   Mr. Green of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing Prince Hall for his contributions as a Revolutionary Era 
    activist, Masonic leader, and his lasting impact in the African-
                      American fight for justice.

Whereas Prince Hall was a free Black man who lived in colonial Boston, 
        Massachusetts, circa 1735 to 1807;
Whereas Prince Hall was an ardent abolitionist and prolific activist in Boston, 
        Massachusetts, during the American Revolutionary period;
Whereas, in 1775, after being denied by an all-White Masonic lodge, Hall and 14 
        other free Black men formed their own lodge;
Whereas Hall was elected as the leader, or ``Worshipful Master'', within the 
        newly formed African Lodge #1, later renamed African Lodge No. 459;
Whereas, because of this action, Prince Hall is known as the ``Father of Black 
        Freemasonry'';
Whereas Prince Hall Freemasonry is recognized by many as the oldest continuously 
        active organization founded by African Americans in the United States;
Whereas the Prince Hall Freemasons employed advocacy and community work to 
        assist Blacks seeking citizenship, education, and economic advancement;
Whereas, in 1777, Prince Hall petitioned the Massachusetts government to abolish 
        slavery and is considered by some to be the first to publicly proclaim 
        that Black people should be granted the rights laid out in the 
        Declaration of Independence;
Whereas, in 1787, a committee of 12 from the African Lodge, headed by Worshipful 
        Master Hall, drafted the Boston Plan, a detailed plan for African 
        Americans to return to Africa, to free themselves from their hostile 
        living conditions in the United States;
Whereas the resettlement plan requested the Massachusetts General Court to 
        provide passage for families with the necessary provisions, utensils, 
        and articles, as well as money to procure lands to settle upon;
Whereas, in 1788, Prince Hall petitioned the Massachusetts Legislature to 
        protect Black sailors from being kidnapped and sold into slavery;
Whereas Prince Hall's influence remains within the 5,000 lodges and 47 grand 
        lodges who trace their lineage to the original lodge he founded; and
Whereas this resolution may be cited as the ``Original Resolution Honoring 
        Prince Hall'' : Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SEC. 1. RECOGNITION.

    The House of Representatives recognizes and thanks Prince Hall for 
his contributions as a Revolutionary Era activist and Masonic leader, 
as well as for his lasting impact in the African-American fight for 
justice.
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