Search all aspects of the subject, and try to learn everything about it and try to verify everything. If you are not willing to do this, then you are not only wasting your time, but those who you would want to read your work.
SECTION II
LOUISIANA JOURNAL
By
Joseph A. Walkes, Jr.
Where ever I go to attend a meeting or a session of a Grand Lodge, or the Supreme Council or the Shrine, brothers come up to me wanting to talk to me concerning writing the history of their Lodge or Grand Lodge or some thing on an individual who has impressed them in Masonry. These would-be writers are under the impression that I can make them authors over night, as they admire their letter writing abilities. These are usually wanta be writers, who I always advise don’t talk about it, write it. There are others who will mail me their masterpieces, or will follow me around until they can pass there manuscripts for me to read. I try to give what little time I have to read their works, but for the most part there masterpieces fall flat and takes up my time from writing. I don’t usually have the heart to tell them how I actually feel about their work, but I will encourage them nevertheless. There is one Brother who for years sent me his writings in the hope that I could get him his 33rd degree. I have told him for better than 20 years, that is not the way to accomplish that goal. His Deputy of the Supreme Council will have to recommend him. It has not sunk in as yet.
Writing Masonic history is hard work, and requires much effort on the part of the writer. For one thing he must have access to certain records concerning his subject, and here he must leave no stone unturned to uncover everything concerning his subject, even things that may not end up in his history. He must also have a general knowledge of Freemasonry. He should at least own a Masonic encyclopedia to answer some questions that come up. Often time the wanta be writer will give his personal opinion on some Masonic question, but is it correct, can he back it up with fact, is there any room for debate?
Read everything you can find on the subject. I have read hundreds of books on a subject that I am writing about, and find most of the books can not add to my subject, nevertheless, it was helpful to me in my determination to read everything I can on my subject. One of the things I tell all who want to write Masonic history, especially on Prince Hall Freemasonry, is to VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY ,and always remember ACCURACY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY, in every aspect of your subject, and remember there are many who lie in wait to find you wrong. It often feels that they read your work only to find fault. It feel often like they get some cheap thrill in criticizing your work, and this is often found in our race, I am sorry to say!
Then there are those will take your work, and copy from it almost word for word, then sign there names as the author. I find this more and more, as I read lectures that some put into Masonic magazines, and all but rape my works as though they had some right.
I continue to mention Masonic Common Law to a lot of Prince Hall Freemasons who want to be writers. Some will argue with me, especially about Black bogus groups claiming to be Masonic, and I wonder how much Masonic education do they have? Some of there theories are often past being dumb; they make no sense leaving me to ask what planet do they come from?
Today, there are some who want to rely on the internet for everything. The internet of course is great tool; able often to lead you to your subject, but it still require old fashion hard core research to verify everything.
It requires writing, then rewriting, and rewriting one hundred times if necessary to feel that it is correct, and despite how many times you reread the work there will always be mistakes made, some one other than yourself, needs to go over the manuscript to see if it makes any sense. Revision is the key to writing history, and then being able to set the work aside and let it lay for a few days before returning to the subject. To read the work forward and even backwards as things will crop up to let you know there is something missing. You should sleep with your work, with a pad by your bed, and as new thoughts and ideas come up you can write them down before you forget. The subject of your work should always be on your mind until you finish the work, and know that you have done the best that you could do.
There should be no rushing to finish the work, it will guide you itself as to when it is finished, and it should take on a life of its own. The work should talk to you and to tell you which way you should go. It becomes your master, and you its slave. There should be nothing more pressing or more important than the work. She becomes your mistress.
You should find time to do the work, a quiet corner where you can gather your thoughts. If the subject is a Prince Hall Mason then he should talk to you, and guide you to leave no stone unturned until you know all of the facts that you need. As my mentor Kenneth Roberts wrote: “Once a person begins to have a faint understanding of writing, he thinks nothing of sitting at a desk for eight or ten hours every day, and for months on end. I had a vague idea that people wrote when they felt like it, or on rainy afternoons, or when they were inspired” But it doesn’t work like that
Search all aspects of the subject, and try to learn everything about it and try to verify everything. If you are not willing to do this, then you are not only wasting your time, but those who you would want to read your work. Those who have passed on are standing besides you, guiding you, wanting you to reach back in time and to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. They don’t want you to guess, they want you to uncover the truth.
I am publishing this journal in the hope that it will be able to assist those who are truly interested in writing about Freemasonry.
I am publishing this journal in the hope that it will be able to assist those who are truly interested in writing about Freemasonry.
1981
29-31 Dec 90: With the New Year, I hope to do a number of important things, one being to sharpen my writing skills and to complete the first draft of the Lewis book. I will need to review all of the Black Newspapers during and following the Reconstruction period, if I am to uncover some of the untold stories concerning Masonry in Louisiana, which can not be found in the proceedings of Grand Lodge, such as Colonel Lewis being saved from a lynching by giving the Masonic sign of distress. I hope also to clear up the race of Jacob Noranger whose death certificate records him as being “col”. One must wonder how they could add such a thing to his death certificate but not to others. Maybe a local newspaper will shed some light on this. Also, the genealogical tree of John G. Lewis, Sr. family would be of interest since they came it seems out of Canada. So all in all it should be interesting to continue researching the subject.
1 Jan 81: My New Years resolution is to complete the first draft of the Lewis book.
2 Jan: Began the new years off right by again sending to Louisiana Vital Records Division for John Parson death certificate. This makes the third time. At this rate it will take another year trying to get the material I need for my book. It is frustrating to say the least.
One area though that disturbs me is Williamson though amassing tons of facts, was also at times a sloppy researcher, and at times has many needless in errors.
6 Jan: Down with the flu. I am looking to receive the microfilm of “Chips from the Queries” by Harry A. Williamson. I look to uncover many unknown revelations concerning Prince Hall Freemasonry. One area though that disturbs me is Williamson though amassing tons of facts, was also at times a sloppy researcher, and at times has many needless in errors. It is often difficult to quote him for you never are sure if it is correct, then you have to go behind him if you can to verify what he has written. He was a very passionate Prince Hall Freemason and at times hard headed, but so am I, perhaps I have no right to be critical of my mentor. As another of my mentor Dr. Du Bois wrote “Through out history the powers of single Black men flash, here and there like a falling star, and die, sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brilliance”.
7 Jan: Still home with the flu, redid some portions of Black Square and Compass added material to Chapter one (Prince Hall) and Chapter 9, Part 2 (William H. Upton). I now feel at least that the Upton Chapter is now fully completed. Sent the Chapter to Macoy and directed them to print it.
8 Jan: I wrote Bro. Samuel P. Jenkins in Baton Rouge, and reminded him that I needed missing proceedings of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana. I have been after them for some time.
Macoy then apologized for printing Grimshaw's so called “Official History” 80 years ago, and plans to make an official retraction in my book.
9 Jan: Ordered “A Survey of Black Newspapers in America” by Henry G. La Brice III. It cost $6.00. Received a phone call from Macoy Publishing in Richmond, Virginia, they were beginning to lay type for the reprint of Black Square & Compass, and requested that I drop that portion calling Harold Voorhis an “anti-Prince Hall advocate” as he was a Vice President of Macoy. I agreed as I had expected that request. Caucasians find it difficult to accept the truth. Macoy then apologized for printing Grimshaws so called “Official History” 80 years ago, and plans to make an official retraction in my book. So I agreed to that as well.
16 Jan: I may want to begin to curb my criticism of Caucasian Freemason in the Jno. G, Lewis, Jr. book, I will not overly criticize, but will present the facts, such as from the Proceedings of the Caucasian Grand Lodge of New York when they record that Blacks insult one of the five senses. The facts will speak for it self, despite my feelings.
20 Jan: Received from Bro. Samuel P. Jenkins, the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana 1965-1972, 1975-1976. This is a step closer to receiving all of the research date I need to complete the work before me.
21 Jan: Received from Bro. Samuel P. Jenkins the proceedings of 1944, 1947, 1954, 1958 – 1964. This just about completes the collection though I am still missing a few.
22 Jan: Received after several months, the death certificate of John Parsons from the State of Louisiana. Why it took so long is besides me. This just seems to be so unnecessary, and an unjustified delay, but it just goes to show when you have to wait on someone else, they move at there own speed.
30 Jan: Received from the New York Public Library microfilm of Harry Williamsons “Chips from the Queries”, a remarkable amount of Masonic works which will take years to digest. While reviewing the microfilm found a work by Williamson on Oscar James Dunn much which I can add to my book. Also found a letter reproduced by Jno Lewis called “The Scottish Rite and Oscar J. Dunn in Louisiana”. All of the material is good and will be used, and it goes to show that a writer must allow no stones to be over turned, in his research for data.
7 Mar: Al of this time involved with the up coming and actual 7th Annual Session of the Phylaxis Society, which of course took up all of my time, and kept me from working on the book. Interesting to note I record that I went to Canada and visited Rev. Josiah “Uncle Tom” Henson grave site in Chatham. There is a square and compass in the fellow craft position on his grave stone. Afterwards traveled to North Buxton to visit briefly with Mrs. (Sis) Robbins, an author of note, on the Black community of Buxton and its founding by escaped black slaves from America. This was followed by a visit to the “Slave Community” Museum. I was highly impressed; there is quite a lot of Masonic material therein. Prince Hall Freemasonry had a major role here also.
May 8: Attended the annual session of the United Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction in Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Clayborn Grand Commander of the Southern informed me that my request for $3,000 to complete the research on the Jno. G. Lewis book was approved. It was good to hear that. Could not in the four days there spent in the hotel convince Dr. Charles H. Wesley to sit down with me to tape an interview. He seems very reluctant to do that. It seems very strange that such a noted historian, whose comments are so important to those of us who deal with Masonic literature, and could use the encouragement of such a master of the work, was very disappointing indeed.
12 May: Received my order of cassette tapes from several Writers Digest workshops to include Alex Hailey of “Roots” fame.
15 May: Departed for St. Louis, Missouri a six hour drive, and I played my Writers Digest tapes, and discovered the voice of Dr. Charles H. Wesley on one of the tapes. The tapes encourage me to return back to the Lewis book, which I had set aside to get away from it for a while. There were certain things I learned from the tapes that I will adopt in the Lewis book.
3 Jun: Called Grand Master Bradford and informed him that I would be receiving the grant from the Supreme Council and would return back to Louisiana to continue my research. He informed me of the Jno. G. Lewis, Jr. U.D. Lodge on Southern University. I was very much pleased to learn that historical doing.
4 Jun: Wrote a letter to Ivory L. Bukham of New Orleans who says he has information of Eureka Grand Lodge birth at St. James AME Church. Sent a copy of the letter to Grand Master Bradford.
17 Jun: I have been doing nothing on the Lewis book, but the time has arrived to once again pick up the task. I spent several hours’ completely redoing pages three to six, establishing the formation of the St. James AME Church and the building of St. James Chapel, and the Freemasons who played a role in its formation, together with the issuing of the dispensation to begin Masonry in Louisiana. I also made an interesting tie in with the events in Philadelphia with Bros Absalom Jones and Richard Allen. There is certainly a remarkable coincident between the two events. I feel I have improved the beginning of the book 100%, but must continue on, as there is much to be done. Completed the new foot notes from number 4 to 11, two full pages.
19 Jun: Took a big step forward. Inspired by one of the cassette tapes from the Writers Digest series, I placed all of the loose papers, documents, photocopies, etc. in an individual folder, thereby organizing everything under there pertinent names, such as James Dunn, Lewis Banks, Calvin Ladd, John Parsons, Antoins Dubluciet, Scottish Rite of La,. Register of Free Colored Persons 1840 – 1857, James B. Berry, E. A. Williams, John Lewis, Sr. , Jacob Norager and St. James AME Church. All of this will continue to grow as I continue my research, but at least things will be organized, which will mean it will be easier to locate materials, rather then hunting. all over the place.
22 Jun: Rewrote that portion on Thomas W. Stringer coming to New Orleans and clarified it explaining the circuit riders tradition of Methodism, thereby greatly improving that section. I plan to include the act of some member to suppress Freemasonry in the AME Church, as a footnote which should be interesting, included also photocopy of the act of incorporation for St. James AME Church.
25 Jun: Typed three pages to explain the presentation of the “Masonic Widows” at St. James Chapel, and the complaint of Bro. J. C. Corbin of Arkansas about it. Planning to include the answer of John G. Lewis, Sr. over the complaint. It seem obvious that Bro. Corbin never saw the stain classed windows of Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, which is full of Masonic symbols.
27 Jun: Did a little reorganizing of the work, adding dual membership and the final edict against the Supreme Council of La by Eureka Grand Lodge in 1881. It leaves me to redo parts of the Chapter.
29 Jun: Completed Grand Master Williams appearance at the National Conference in Chicago. Presented Williams very informative paper on the Prerogatives of a Grand Master”, which was well received by those in attendance. . Very interesting, completed four typed pages.
2 Jul: Added more material, in fact brought the work up to 1894, need very little to complete the administration of Grand Master Williams, who was defeated in 1896. Jno G. Lewis is defeated as Deputy Grand Master. The question is why he had brought charges against two men of New Dawn Lodge (his lodge), and could this be the reason he was defeated. Interesting, will explore.
3 Jul: The above may be the case, but the fact that E. A. Williams had his private affairs tied up with the endowment money of the Grand Lodge. I have decided to change the name of the chapter from “A New Dawn” to Chapter V “In the case of E.A. Williams”.
4 Jul: Completed Chapter V and will begin Chapter VI which will be named, “A New Dawn.” Will need some filers for Chapter V, I am not happy with it, as it is only 16 handwritten pages and in some cases singled typed pages.
7 Jul: Headed for Springfield, Missouri to attend Grand Lodge session, a 4 hour boring drive, but listened to Writers Digest cassette tapes which really helped. Plenty of good advise to be found on them.
11 Jul: Began Chapter VI, did about three pages, rough going, but no problem. Decided to combine all into Chapter V, to strengthen the over all Chapter, which I renamed “Of Difficult Times”. Don’t know if this title will remain, but the combined two chapters will give much depth to those pages.
14 Jul: On the 12th of July, I wrote the Library of Congress seeking to learn what Black Newspapers they had on file from the Reconstruction period in Louisiana, and requested the necessary paper work to have them microfilmed. This is the second time I have written to them if I am not mistaken. The next time I will write my Congressmen and ask for his help, I noted that Kenneth Roberts mentioned in his book “I wanted to write” that he had to do that.
15 Jul: Continuing with Chapter V. Have been able to add much to it, to include material from my book, “Black Square and Compass”, concerning the Upton – Washington proceedings of 1899. All in all, I think this will probably end up being one of the best chapters in the book. There is a lot of depth.
20 Jul: Completed Part 1 of the book, and will be starting Part II concerning the father, Jno G. Lewis (Sr.) However I am missing the proceedings of 1904 and 5 and others, which I must have. I wrote Grand Master Bradford that I was in need of the proceedings for 1904-6, 10, 12, 24, 17-19, 21 – 25, 36 – 39, 43, 45-46. I must get copies of these proceedings without fail. I sent a letter to the Schomburg Center for Black Culture, in New York (Schomburg, was a former Grand Lodge Secretary of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York, wrote a book “Masonic Truth” concerning the Caucasian Grand Lodge of New York and its battles with Hamburg, which was allowing Blacks into their lodges in New York. The Center is made up of the collection of Bro. Schomburg on Blacks around the world ) requesting a photograph of a document from Eureka Grand Lodge in regards to the death of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The document is dated 20 Feb 1901 and is quite remarkable. Hope I don’t have any problems in receiving this historical item.
24 Jul: Received a phone call from Grand Master Bradford that he had microfilm copies of the proceedings I was missing and would send them to me. He also wanted to know what items I needed from the New Orleans Public Library, that he would assign a member to locate the information. I wrote the Grand Master and gave him the items I needed from the library.
27 Jul: Wrote the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England with a carbon copy to Christopher Haffner a member of that Grand Lodge, and a copy to Grand Master Bradford, seeking information on the resolution from Eureka Grand Lodge on the death of Queen Victoria. It will be most interesting to see if the Grand Secretary will even bother to answer. It is difficult to be forced to depend on some one else, who really could care less concerning your research, and if you should be lucky enough to receive what ever you are looking for, then you have to back track and verify it.
30 Jul: Received a phone call from Bro. Ernest Bryant of New Orleans, who has been assigned by Grand Master Bradford to do some research for me at Tulane University and the New Orleans Public Library. What he told me so far of the material that I was seeking he had found, this was like music to my ears. It is difficult to depend on some one else, but when it works out; it changes everything, and helps the work move forward.
31 Jul: Received from Grand Master Bradford 18 rolls of microfilm covering annual communications of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana from 1894 to 1972. The microfilm rolls are divided into the transactions of the Grand Lodge for each year and membership rosters for the same period. This will help me greatly. One had to admire Jno G. Lewis, Jr. for having the foresight, wisdom and plain business sense to have the proceedings microfilmed. I wish all of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge would do the same. It sure would make it easier for those who have to write their history.
8 Aug: Sent a letter to Mark Anderson at Tulane University Library seeking more New Orleans early Black newspapers. Wrote Bro Earnest Bryant seeking more data, also wrote Grand Master Bradford.
10 Aug: Received a letter from Diana Lechatranere of the Schomburg in response to my letter of July 20th, stating that the library was unable to locate the “Queen Victoria” document that I was seeking in the Harry Williamson Prince Hall Masonic Collection and seeking more information on it. I was rather disappointed, but will continue to see if it can be found. (I would later find a copy of the document to Queen Victoria and publish it on the front cover of the Phylaxis magazine.)
11 Aug: Typed 14 pages of Chapter V and greatly expanded the footnotes which will be added later. Decided to put the names of the officers of the newly formed Lodges in the footnotes instead of in the text, something I have been playing with in my mind for some time. I must admit I feel very good over these 14 pages.
12 Aug: Typed an additional five more pages, the going is slow.
13 Aug: Received a reply from the Library of Congress finally on the Back Newspapers published in Louisiana. They have on hand several copies which I will purchase on microfilm, in fact I found four that I wanted: “The Black Republican; The Louisianan; The Tribune and L’Union”. A total of 15 microfilm rolls.
14 Aug: Typed five more pages, the typing goes slow. Will just have to take time, but do want as much of the draft completed by October.
15 Aug: Received from the Iowa Masonic Library volumes of the “Plumb Line”, the official organ of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana. Vol. 1, No. 1 1910 to Vol. III, No. 1, April 1913. There will be a multitude amount of information in it, all which will be used and will help me greatly. However, after going through, the issues, only found a very few items of interest that I could use.
17 Aug: Wrote Mark Anderson of Tulane that I had located the Black newspapers of New Orleans that I was seeking in the Library of Congress. Wrote the Library of Congress for the cost of reproduction, of the newspapers, I also wrote Grand Master Bradford for information on a sash worn by the senior Jno Lewis. I wrote the Iowa Masonic Library for information on the International Masonic Convention held in Berne, Switzerland in 1901. The host was the Grand Lodge Alpina Switzerland and Jno. G. Lewis, (Sr.) was a delegate but doubt that he attended. Began typing items from the first issue of the “Plumb Line”, the official organ of the Grand Lodge, finding some items of interest that would add some thing to the work. Read through “Slaves and Freedmen in Civil War Louisiana” by C. Peter Ripley seeking more data that I could use.
20 Aug” Began Chapter VI did six pages found it very interesting as it dealt with an edict from the so called Supreme Council of Louisiana breaking off Masonic relations with the Eureka Grand Lodge.
22 Aug: Typed up nine pages of references for Chapter V. The references will take quite a number of pages as I wanted to explain everything.
23 Aug: Completed typing references for Chapter V, a total of 17 pages which looks very good, I am quite pleased with the results.
24 Aug: Received a letter from T. O. Haunch, Librarian and Curator of the library of the Grand Lodge of England stating the he was unable to locate the condolences sent by Eureka Grand Lodge or any Prince Hall organizations over the death of Queen Victoria. The problem may lie in the name Prince Hall, as the Grand Lodge was not using that name. I promised myself that I would write another letter to the Grand Lodge of England seeking information on the same subject.
29 Aug: Completed six pages through and into the C.C.F.C. reports of Grand Master Lewis (Sr.), which will be a good fill in. Began making notes from the Proceedings of 1906, the years 1904 and 1905 are on microfilm.
31 Aug: Began taking the proceedings to work, one per day, when finding a chance to read through it, making notes, and finding more data which will become a draft to the entire chapter Wrote a draft outline for Jno. G. Lewis (Sr.) did 1906.
1 Sep: Completed 1907, a draft outline, and it looks good.
2 Sep: Continued doing draft outline, completed 1908. It seems to me that I was heading in the right direction. Have been wondering and giving much thought, exactly how I was to approach this part of the work. It will be difficult, but will work on it.
3 Sep: Worked on the year 1911. I am missing 1909 and 1910, but have them on microfilm, and will view them on my next trip to the Library.
5 Sep: Received notification from the Library of Congress that the microfilm rolls of the Black Newspapers printed during the Reconstruction period, 9 reels, would cost me $167. Will send for them immediately, as I really want to go through them, to see what I can glean.
7 Sep: Spent three hours in the library going through the proceedings of Louisiana for 1904, 05, 09, and part of 1910. Just got tired, will return at a later date, these things take time! I need to complete 1910, 12 and 14. Discovered that the microfilm received from the Grand Lodge are duplicates, therefore I plan to return half of them, and the remaining later. How much like Jno. G. Lewis, Jr. to have copied a number of rolls of his Grand Lodge proceedings, and keeping them in the walk in safe at Grand Lodge. I wish that all of the Prince Hall Grand Lodges could do this.
16 Sep: Received photocopies of the minutes of African Lodge No. 459 from a member of that Grand Lodge who did as I requested made copies of the actual minutes, and while comparing them to the material that John Sherman, Librarian of the White Grand Lodge of Massachusetts wrote, I found that John Sherman was not at all truthful. Also found the use of the words “raised to the Sublime Degree” troublesome as it was not in use until 1817. I decided to put aside the Louisiana book, to let it rest for a while, as I wanted time to go over all of John Sherman’s anti Prince Hall Writings.
1 Oct: I was rather amazed to learn that Jno. G. Lewis, (Sr.) was such a fraternal leader as he was so involved in other secret fraternal organization, some which he led. He was also involved with the OES.
10 Oct: Completed 13 pages of Chapter VI. Some of it rather raw and certainly will have to be re-done Wondering why it is taking the Library of Congress so long to send me the microfilm of the Louisiana Reconstruction Black Newspapers.
12 Oct: Redid several of the Chapter, adding more material and strengthening parts of the work thereby adding more interest. Will eventually have to do the entire Chapter over, but that was expected.
14 Oct: Departed for Jackson, Mississippi to attend the United Supreme Council meeting. I have taken the manuscript with me to give to Grand Master Bradford so he can look over it.
15 Oct: I turned the manuscript over to Grand Master Bradford and he spent several evenings reading it, thoroughly enjoying what he read. This does this writers heart good, to listen to him as he explained how much he learned from the facts presented in the work. He was very enthused and I was overjoyed to see that my labor was appreciated. I told Grand Master Bradford that I was still waiting for the newspapers of the Reconstruction period from the Library of Congress in the hope of further tracking his Grand Lodge and gleaning all that I could. He asked me how did I know about the research items I was seeking, and of course I explained to him the role of the historian is to learn of such things. :
19 Oct: I received my grant from the Supreme Council Charitable Foundation. My request was for $3,000 they cut it down to $1,500. The reason given, was that my request had been reviewed with some doubts as a number of the board members did not approve of my grant, because I was writing the history of a Grand Lodge. A classic example of not taking care of our own! What mattered to me was the fact that I was still writing about Prince Hall Freemasonry, and about their Past Sovereign Grand Commander. However, because of the grant I thought I would add a third part, and include John’s years as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council.
12 Nov: Finally received the microfilms from the library of Congress. Took one roll of the New Orleans Tribune (1864) and was some what disappointed, Found one brief editorial against J. B. Noble and later some comments on a organization which had Oscar Dunn as President and Louis Banks as one of a number of vice presidents. Grand Master Jno. G. Lewis, Jr. had asked me quite some time ago, did I have anything on Louis Banks. I think slowly I will learn details of his life.
19 Nov: I have made several trips to the library at Fort Leavenworth to read the microfilm rolls of the New Orleans Tribune. It goes very slow. It does take time however. Sent after two articles from the Phylon in Atlanta, Georgia, an important publication founded by Dr. (Bro) W.E.B. DuBois, in it was an article on Bro. Oscar James Dunn, hopefully it will help me. I also ended up subscribing to the publication.
21 Dec: I finally heard from the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society in Washington, DC. It took them over a month and a half to respond. Why oh why does it take my people so long to answer letters. I write Caucasians all over the world, and their letters are immediately answered, I noticed that Harry A. Williamson also raised this same question in one of his articles..
27 Dec: Spent a number of hours at the Library reviewing the microfilm of the New Orleans Tribune and learned that Lewis Banks, President of the National Equal Rights League met with United States Supreme Court Justice Solamon P. Chase during his visit to New Orleans 5 June 1865 and received statements from Chase which was later published in the Tribune. Gleaned also that Oscar Dunn and James H. Ingraham were active in all of the self help organizations in New Orleans. The National Equal Rights League, Friends of Universal Suffrage, The Freeman Aid Association, etc. It is there in the microfilm that I will be able to glean much fill in information on the lives of the Prince Hall Freemasons of Louisiana. However, this phase of the research effort is going very slow.
The book was finally completed in 1984, and published by the Grand Lodge in 1985. Only a few hundred were published in hard cover, the majority was soft cover which sold for $15.00.
In the forward of the book, I wrote: “What follows is the true account of this great history, a chronicle of extraordinary individuals who were not only dedicated to their race, their country, and to their communities; but to the principles of Freemasonry as well. There can be no finer illustration in the annals of American history than what is revealed in the pages that follow.
Those extraordinary individuals, some small in deeds and some larger than life, that appeared on the stage of history of this, and other Grand Lodges as well, helped to make Prince Hall Freemasonry an institution like no other, unique within the chronicles of Freemasonry anywhere in the world.
What follows is not only the events and happenings that took place in Louisiana; its struggles, its pains, its defeats, its victories, but more especially the progress it made often under great and enormous odds. However the history as related herein, was but one example of the great occurrences that were taking place throughout the Black Masonic Experience in America.
One of the great tragedies and pathos of Masonic history in America has been the failure of it to give a full and unbiased recognition to this remarkable Masonic power of Black men which has graced the shores of America for over 200 years and occupied in many states the same jurisdictional territories jointly with their Caucasian counterparts within the racial structure of the two Americans which existed at the formation of both Masonrys.
It is tragic, but without a doubt a reality that there are two Americas, in the past as it is in the present; as different as night and day; and though they share a common land and speak a similar language, they live in two totally different worlds separated by two different cultures as far apart as if they lived on two different continents.
Between those two worlds of division there remains a veil of mistrust and even hatred. As Bro. W. E. B. DuBois would so clearly explain “The Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with a second sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, - an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” (The Souls of Black Folk, 1903).
The Masonic realities of American Freemasonry consists on the one hand of Caucasian Freemasonry naively declaring Prince Hall Freemasonry irregular and clandestine; and on the other hand, Prince Hall Freemasonry “refusing to stand hat in hand,” declaring Caucasian American Freemasonry fascist, racist, un-American and unworthy of being called Freemasonry. Perhaps within the pages of this work, one can better understand Bro. DuBois’ double consciousness and why Prince Hall Freemasons harbor the degree of bitterness that they do towards their fellow countrymen. Within these pages one can see the mob violence, the tragedy of lynchings, the demolition of Lodge Halls and the abuses that were often times perpetrated by men who wore Masonic aprons and knelt at the Masonic altars before the volume of sacred laws proclaiming the “Brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God.”
While Black Americans live in two worlds, the Caucasian lives in one of his own making, a cold and uncaring world of hypocrisy, of pretense of virtue, piety and make-believe, and in his blindness the Black world becomes an invisible world seen occasionally on the television screen, or in crime statistics, or read about in the sports pages in the local newspapers. The Caucasian American Freemason has for the most part no understanding of the Black man or Prince Hall Freemasonry, other than the often tasteless propaganda spoon fed to him by those with ulterior motives. While working on this book one such tasteless issue was A Documentary Account of Prince Hall and Other Black Fraternal Orders published by the Missouri Lodge of Research. An example of the totalitarianism of American Caucasian Freemasonry that feeds its often mindless Master Masons half truths and denies him any measure of meaningful knowledge of the Freemasonry of Prince Hall. So hence the Black Masonic experience in America has been deliberately programmed out of White America which refuses to look at its own hypocrisy.
Perhaps histories such as this, might open the eyes of American Freemasonry to the real meaning of Freemasonry among Blacks in America, as it gives them a momentary glimpse into a world they know nothing of.”
As I look at my words written so many years ago, today in 2003, much has changed, most of the Caucasian Grand Lodges in America recognizes their Prince Hall counterparts in their jurisdictional territory; even the United Grand Lodge of England the reluctant “Mother” Grand Lodge of Prince Hall Freemasonry, does the same. The book mentioned by me published by the Missouri Lodge of Research in their shame, today finds the Missouri Grand Lodge recognizing my Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Missouri. But this book did something that its authors did not intend to happen, it showed Caucasian Grand Lodges that they could not live up to the standards displayed in the book equating there own regularity on the charges the authors wrote against Prince Hall Freemasonry. While many things have changed, yet many things have not changed, as many southern Caucasian Grand Lodges refuses to recognize their Prince Hall Counterparts, and have even gone so far as to threaten to lynch there own members who might bring the idea up at Grand Lodge, and some have taken offense when I call them Confederate Grand Lodges. Never the less there is in reality such an institution today which calls itself a Confederate Grand Lodge and hides its officers and members name from the public on the internet. So much has changed, much remains the same.
At one point Grand Master Jno. G. Lewis, Jr. life was threatened if he came to Lake Charles, Louisiana, he ignored the threat. In a recent Phylaxis Society session, the members had to post a guard to follow me around and as the President of the Philalethes Society who was visiting had also been threatened they posted a guard on him as well. In my case, Bro. Ralph McNeal was my guard and I deeply appreciate his efforts to look after my welfare. Though we may write about Freemasonry, these types of things can happen to writers who write works that some take bitter offense to, so beware.
Nevertheless, I have published this journal to show those who want to see some of the aspects of writing, that it is after all hard work, and truly one must have a love of the work and of Freemasonry, dedication and persistence. To attempt to leave no stone unturned in the search for research data, in order to paint as much of an honest work that one can do. Today we have computers which make it much easier to move paragraphs around, to correct spellings and grammatical errors. The computer can also help one in his search for data, but one must not rely on the computer to do ones research, verification on each item must take place. The computer is only as good as what has been put into it. It does not mean that the data is correct; this is up to the writer to determine. When I wrote the Louisiana book, I had no computer. There fore there was always retyping of manuscript pages. When you needed to move a paragraph around, then you had to cut it out and paste or tape it where you wanted it, then retype the page. How times have changed, the computer has seen to that, but the retyping was in many cases a blessing, as it allowed you to rewrite your work, and to be a successful writer one must always rewrite even a hundred times if necessary.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this effort, there are a lot of wanta be writers, who write me often asking for advice, and my advice always remains the same, if you want to write, then write, but be true to your subject. Realize it is a difficult task, but move ahead and do the best you can.
I want to memorialize and remember the late Grand Master Earl Bradford, without whose help this book could not have been written, he caught the inspiration and vision of what I was attempting to do, and fully supported all of my efforts. And then there was the late Jno G. Lewis, Jr., himself, whose leadership and Masonic knowledge inspired this book, it is doubtful if Prince Hall Freemasonry will ever see his likes again. It has been an honor to have known him, and to be inspired by him. I am in hope that his greatness rings clear in this book that I have dedicated four years to produce, it was truly a work of love. Finally, I must give thanks to the Charitable Foundation of the United Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction for its several grants, without I am sure this work would have never been completed. I hope that others will be inspired to do the same for their Grand Lodge. Lux e Tenebris it is called!