[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 48 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E432-E433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOYER LODGE NO. 1 FREE AND
ACCEPTED MASONS PRINCE HALL AFFILIATION OF NEW YORK CITY
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HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National
Black History Month to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Boyer Lodge
No. 1 of the Free and Accepted Masons Prince Hall Affiliation of New
York City. February 16, 1812, marked the birth and beginning of Prince
Hall Freemasonry in the State of New York. The Charter was issued by
Peter Lew, Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts.
History notes that Boyer Lodge No. 1 was named after Jean Pierre
Boyer, a native of Saint-Domingue, who was born around February 15,
1776. He was a courageous soldier and leader of the Haitian Revolution,
who served as a General under Toussaint
L' Ouverture in the Haitian War of Independence against the French
Government. Jean Pierre Boyer served as the fourth President of Haiti
from 1818 to 1843, and managed to rule for the longest period of time
of any of the revolutionary leaders of his generation. He reunited the
north and south of Haiti in 1820 and also invaded and took control of
Santo Domingo, which brought all of Hispaniola under one government by
1822. Under President Boyer's leadership, Haiti declared independence
from France in 1825, becoming the only free Black nation, then in
existence.
As stated by Worshipful Master Carlo Smith-Ramsay, ``The daring price
that our ancestors paid to boldly and audaciously decide to become
Freemasons at a time in history when men of color were not entirely
free men and the laws of the land provided them very little protection
is the reason why we should humbly and reverently celebrate our Bi-
centennial Anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1.''
President Jean Pierre Boyer recruited freed American blacks to
immigrate to the Republic of Haiti, using advertisement opportunities
in newspapers, promising free land and political opportunity to black
settlers. He sent agents to black communities in the United States to
convince them that Haiti was a sovereign state and open to immigration
only for blacks. In September of 1824, nearly 6,000 Americans, mostly
free people of color, migrated to Haiti within a year, with ships
departing from New York, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Unfortunately, due
to the poverty of the island and the inability of President Boyer's
administration to help support the new immigrants in the transition
most returned to the United States. Boyer ruled the island of
Hispaniola until 1843, when he lost the support of the ruling elite and
was ousted. He was later exiled to France where he died in 1850.
Since its founding, Boyer Lodge #1 has met continuously for One
Hundred and Ninety Four years. In 1826, The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts helped further expand Black Freemasonry in New York State
by the Chartering of Celestial Lodge, Rising Sun Lodge and Hiram Lodge.
On March 14, 1845, further progress was achieved when Boyer Lodge #1,
Celestial Lodge #2, Rising Sun Lodge #3 and Hiram Lodge #4 convened and
erected Boyer Grand Lodge of New York. Thus becoming, ``The Most
Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of New York.''
Prince Hall Freemasonry derives from historical events which led to a
tradition of separate predominantly African-American Freemasonry in
North America. It consists of independent Grand Lodges, which are
considered regular by the United Grand Lodge of England. Prince Hall
was born in 1735 and was a tireless abolitionist and a leader of the
free black community in Boston. Hall tried to gain New England's
enslaved and free blacks a place in some of the most crucial spheres of
society, Freemasonry, education and the military. He is considered the
founder of ``Black Freemasonry'' in the United States, known today as
Prince Hall Freemasonry. Prince Hall formed the African Grand Lodge of
North America.
On March 6, 1775, Prince Hall was made a Master Mason in Irish
Constitution Military Lodge No. 441, along with fourteen other African
Americans: Cyrus Johnston, Bueston Slinger, Prince Rees, John Canton,
Peter Freeman, Benjamin Tiler, Duff Ruform, Thomas Santerson, Prince
Rayden, Cato Speain, Boston Smith, Peter Best, Forten Horward, and
Richard Titley, all of whom apparently were free by birth. Prince Hall
was unanimously elected its Grand Master and served until his death in
1807. Most Worshipful Grand Master Prince Hall is considered the first
black community activist of his time, who made many appearances before
the Boston City Council and Massachusetts Colony Legislature. Prince
Hall had a passion for learning and education and operated a school in
the basement of his home. He also lobbied tirelessly for education
rights for black children and a back-to-Africa movement. Many
historians regard Prince Hall as one of the more prominent African
American leaders throughout the early national-period of the United
States.
The Prince Hall Lodge, formerly known as the African Lodge is the
oldest fraternal organization in the country and has been a leading
influence in the lives of black men in America. During the abolitionist
movement, African American churches and the Prince Hall Lodges emerged
at the forefront of the struggle. As stated by Most Worshipful Grand
Master Reverend Dr. Gregory R. Smith, ``In essence, and more often than
not, members and church members were one and the same. This was the
case with both Lattion, who was the First Worshipful Master of Boyer
Lodge and a member of Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church,
and James Varrick, the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church and charter member of the Boyer Lodge.''
Both the church, particularly the Mother AME Zion Church, formerly
known as the ``Freedom Church'' and the Masons played prominent roles
in the Underground Railroad. Many Masons were captains and conductors
on the Railroad and Mother Zion earned its ``Freedom Church'' name by
being one of the major stops on this complex network, which contributed
to the freedom of more than 100,000 slaves. Today, the Mother AME Zion
Church is the oldest existing African American institution in New
York--and Boyer Lodge is the oldest lodge in the Prince Hall fraternity
and the third oldest African American institution in New York State.
[[Page E433]]
Mr. Speaker, let me join my fellow brethren and a very grateful
nation as we celebrate during National Black History Month, the 200th
Anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1, the first established Lodge of the
Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons.
Let me congratulate and recognize Worshipful Master Carlo Smith-Ramsay,
leader of Boyer Lodge No. 1 and our 55th Grand Master of the Most
Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the
State of New York, Most Worshipful Reverend Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith,
33 deg., EdD, DMin, MBA, MDiv.
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