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

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, That 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.