[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

                                 ______
                                 

                         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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