Blacks in NJ Freemasonry - Excerpts
From "History Of Freemasonry In New Jersey, 1787-1987
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Organization of the Grand Lodge
of the Most Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons for
the State of New Jersey

     "After the close of the Civil War there developed a great deal of
interest in, and sympathy for, free black men and former slaves, particularly
among New Jersey Masons, and these sentiments produced an unusual result. In
1870 several black men, claiming to be Freemasons, applied to Grand Lodge for
a warrant to be issued to a lodge to be known as Cushite Lodge. Their
petition was sponsored by a white Mason, Worshipful Brother Israel Baldwin,
a Past Master of St. John's Lodge No. 1 of Newark. A special committee was
appointed by Grand Lodge to review the petition. Anticipating an unfavorable
report from the committe nine white area brethren and several sojourners
applied for a warrant for a lodge to be known as Alpha Lodge. The warrant was
issued on January 19, 1871, the day after the petition had been submitted,
and Alpha Lodge No. 116 was duly constituted on January 27, 1871 in Newark
by the Grand Master, Most Worshipful William E. Pine. Complaints of
improprieties, received during 1871, caused the Grand Master to arrest the
warrant, and at the Annual Communication of 1872, following debate, the
motion to restore the warrant to Alpha Lodge No. 116 was carried by one vote.
The lodge commenced work, and balloted upon, elected, and initiated five
black petitioners who became the first black men to be initiated to
membership in a regular lodge in the State of New Jersey. Although the
existence of Alpha Lodge No. 116 has caused strained fraternal relations with
other grand jurisdictions on occasion, as well as some questioning of
personal beliefs and values of members within our own Grand Lodge, its
continued and honored presence on our rolls is a tribute to the social
consciousness and sincerity of the original petitioners." (p. 24)

     "History repeated itself in 1966 when the Grand Lodge of Mississippi
again severed relations with the Grand Lodge of New Jersey (the first being
1909 through 1927) for essentially the same reason -- refusal by that Grand
Jurisdiction to acknowledge the regularity of one duly constituted lodge of
this Grand Jurisdiction, Alpha No. 116, F.& A.M. The Grand Lodge of New
Jersey, however, did not sever relations with the Grand Lodge of Mississippi
during that period. The matter was resolved in 1980 with a feeling of great
happiness and relief on the part of members of both jurisdictions when the
Grand Lodge of Mississippi, again, officially recognized this Grand
Jurisdiction." (p. 40)

[NOTE: Mississippi renewed its recognition after significant aid and comfort
from New Jersey Freemasonry in the wake of a severe hurricane.]

Uploaded by Steven L. Lubetkin, P.M., 32nd
West Jersey Lodge #15 (Formerly Cherry Hill #297)
Cherry Hill, N.J.
CIS #76616,123
