Prince Hall:

   "Prince Hall Masonry began with a remarkable individual, Prince Hall, a man who was a credit to his race, his country, universal Freemasonry and himself. When one considers the era in which he lived the conditions of the time, and the numerous handicaps that he and his fraters faced, he must stand among the great men of American history." - Joseph A. Walkes, Jr.     

   Prince Hall is recognized as the Father of Black Masonry in the United States. Black Masonry began when Prince Hall and fourteen other free black men were initiated in to Lodge # 441, Irish Constitution, attached to the 38th Regiment of Foot, British Army Garrisoned at Castle William (Now Fort Independence) Boston Harbor on March 6, 1775.    

   About a year later, since the conflict between England and America had commenced, the British Foot Infantry left with its lodge, leaving Prince Hall and his associates without a lodge. Before the lodge left, Worshipful Master Batt gave them a "permit" to meet as a lodge and bury their dead in manner and form. This permit, however, did not allow them to do any "Masonic work" or to take in any new members.  

   Under this permit, African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776, with Prince Hall as the worshipful master. It was not long before this lodge received an additional "permit" from Provincial Grand Master John Rowe to walk in procession on St. John's Day.      

   On March 2, 1784, African Lodge #1 petitioned the Grand Lodge of England, the Premier or Mother Grand Lodge of the world, for a warrant (or charter) to organize a regular Masonic lodge, with all the rights and privileges thereunto prescribed.    

   The Grand Lodge of England issued a charter on September 29, 1784, to African Lodge #459, the first lodge of Blacks in America.  African Lodge #459 grew and prospered to such a degree that Worshipful Master Prince Hall was appointed a Provincial Grand Master, in 1791, and out of this grew the first Black Provincial Grand Lodge.   

   In 1797, he organized a lodge in Philadelphia and one in Rhode Island. These lodges were designated to work under the charter of African Lodge #459.   

   In December 1808, one year after the death of Prince Hall, African Lodge #459 (Boston), African Lodge #459 (Philadelphia) and Hiram Lodge #3 (Providence) met in a general assembly of the craft and organized African Grand Lodge (sometimes referred to as African Grand Lodge #1).    

   In 1847, out of respect for their founding father and first Grand Master, Prince Hall, they changed their name to Prince Hall Grand Lodge, the name it carries today. In 1848, Union Lodge #2, Rising Sons of St. John #3, and Celestial Lodge #4 became the first lodges organized under the name Prince Hall Grand Lodge.   

   The original charter of African Lodge #459 of Boston is in the possession of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and is the only known original 18th Century Charter in existence issued to any American Lodge by the Grand Lodge of England. It proudly represents the indisputable legitimacy and regularity of 47 Prince Hall Grand Lodges and their subordinate lodges and affiliated bodies.

Freemasonry in Texas :    

   Under the leadership of Captain W.D. Matthews, Most Worshipful Grand Master of Kansas, Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons were established in Texas in 1871, and 1873, to wit:     

San Antonio Lodge #22       
Mt. Bonnell Lodge # 2       
Magnolia Lodge #24       
Galveston Lodge #25      
Mt. Lebanon Lodge #26

   These were the first Black Free and Accepted Masonic Lodges organized in Texas.    

   In the early part of June, 1875, Norris Wright Cuney, DGM, and Richard Allen, DDGM, acting under the authority of the Kansas Jurisdiction, issued a call requesting the above named lodges to send representatives on August 18, 1875, to meet with Mt. Lebanon, located in Brenham, Texas, for the purpose of organizing the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Texas.
  
   This organizing convention elected Norris Wright Cuney of Galveston as Grand Master, J. R. Taylor of Brenham as Grand Senior Warden, Edward Wilkinson of Austin as Grand Junior Warden, J. H. Morris of Galveston as Grand Secretary, J. P. Ball, Jr., of Brenham as Grand Recorder, Wilson Nichols of Galveston as Grand Treasurer, and John Lands of Galveston Grand Tyler.
    
   On January 19, 1876, these officers were installed in Houston by Grand Master Mathews.  
 
   Prince Hall Masonry has been shining its light ever since in the Great State of Texas.