Published Monthly by The Phylaxis
Society Public Affairs Office
and Masonic Information Center
April 1999
It is our sad duty to report, that Bro. Rev. Henry J. Lyons of St. Petersburg Lodge No. 1, Florida, the embattled ex-leader of the National Baptist Convention USA, was sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison, for swindling more than 4 million dollars. He was ordered to repay almost 2.5 million. Masonically it is up to the Union Grand Lodge (PHA) to decide what action to take against him.
For the first time in the history of John Hopkins University, the image of a nonwhite person looks out from a wall on the Homewood campus. The recent unveiling of a portrait of III : . Thurgood Marshall 33" of Coal Creek Lodge No. 88 of Tulsa, Oklahoma was a symbol of deeper changes in the institution. The portrait, which will hang in Levering Hall, was unveiled at the opening of the school's 11th annual Culturefest, which has grown from a one-night dinner to a week-long series of performances, parties, lectures and symposiums. A historic New York federal court house that has gone unnamed since its construction 64 years ago has been picked by Congress to honor Bro. Thurgood Marshall. The federal courthouse is located at 60 Center Street in New York City. In November, a small group of black intellectuals, politicians, academics, journalists and artist will come together to discuss the role of African-Americans in the 21st century. The brainchild of Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell of H. R. Butler Lodge No. 23, this invitation only meeting, called "The Atlanta Conference on African Americans in the Next Millennium," is a replay of a series of gatherings that Bro. W. E. Du Bois convened there in the late 1890's. Like Bro. Du Bois before him, Bro. Campbell wants to plot a course to put black folks at the center of American life in the coming century. Bro (Rev) Jesse Jackson, Harmony Lodge No. 88, Chicago, Illinois, after much reflection and prayer has decided not to run a third time for President of the United States. Prince Hall Freemasons, Bro's. (Rev) Al Sharpton, former Mayor David Dinkins, actor Ossie Davis, Congressman Charles Daniel, all from the New York Jurisdiction, along with NAACP President Kweisi Mfume, Maryland Jurisdiction, and Jesse Jackson were arrested as they led demonstrations outside of New York city's police headquarters over the killing of a street vendor from Guinea with no criminal record, was killed February 4, outside his Bronx, N.Y. apartment when four white police officers fired 41 shots, 19 which hit the West African immigrant Amadou Diallo. A New York judge dismissed the charges against more than 1,000 people who were arrested during the daily protest. Ill ..Rev. Leon H. Sullivan 33" is preparing to lead over 8,000 for the Fifth African-African American summit to be held in Accra, Ghana, on May 15-22, 1999. Bro. Sullivan is the chairman and convener of the summit, which will be hosted by Ghanaian President Jerry J. Rawling. There will be a discussion that focus on Dual Citizenship for African-Americans who wish to obtain citizenship in an African country without impairing their citizenship in the U.S. NAACP President Kweisi Mfume Mount Olive Lodge No. 25, it is reported is getting ready to leave the civil rights field to enter the race for Mayor of Baltimore and eventually seek a U. S. Senate slot from Maryland. The popular civil rights leader denies the flood of rumors even after the State House enacted a new six month residence requirement, reportedly at the request of Bro. Mfume supporters. Mfume has moved from a suburban area and brought a town house. Baltimore Mayor Bro. Kurt Schmoke, also a Prince Hall Freemason, watched his city's Baltimore Orioles baseball team defeat a Cuban All-star team in a historic contest in Havana. The centennial celebration of Duke Ellington of Social Lodge No. 1, Washington, DC is taking place all across the United States. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History announced that April 29th will be held a Jazz Masterworks Concert - Duke Ellington: Hallelujah! A Sacred Concert, also a Duke Ellington Youth festival Art Exhibition will be held on April 29th at the Photo Gallery; a Duke Ellington Centennial opens also on April the 29th 2nd floor, east. Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn a series of photographs, artworks and other material illustrating the rich partnership of these two American musicians, closes May 31st at the Archives Center, 3rd floor, east. In Baltimore the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, will pay tribute to the 100th birthday of Ellington on May 10th. The April edition of Ebony Magazine published by III .-.John H. Johnson 3 3' asked in an article "Was Ellington America's Greatest Composer? The April issue of Dawn Beat Magazine had a large spread under title of "Maestro's Mystique" and the April issue of emerge magazine had a special report on "The Duke." The question to be asked what is the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia doing to celebrate Bro. Ellington's birthday?
On March 20th, 1999 members of the Doric Chapter of the Phylaxis Society visited the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, located at 1411 W. Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. administered by the National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior to take photographs and investigate the wall paper in the house which shows the Star of David and Masonic working tools hidden in the symbol that appears in the rooms facing the East, as well as a photograph hanging in the East Parlor which clearly shows Masons in white aprons attending Douglass' funeral. The Chapter was notified by Ms. Jacqueline L. Tobin coauthor of the book Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad Ms. Tobin plans to visit with the members of Doric Chapter to discuss their findings. Doric Chapter was presented the Herbert Dailey award as the Best Chapter at the 26th Annual Session of the Phylaxis Society at Tuskegee University.
Indiana: In the 1997 proceedings of the white Grand Lodge, Grand Master William 0. Blasingame, responding to a recommendation of his predecessor, assigned to the Jurisprudence Committee the task of inferring into a dialogue with the Grand Master and other officers of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana, with the possibility of recognition. The committee recommended several changes to their Laws to remove all wording that pertained to the American custom of Exclusive Jurisdiction. These recommendations were approved in the 1998 Grand Lodge Communication and on May 19, 1998 the Grand Lodge recognized the Prince Hall Grand Lodge.
Minnesota: On 21 March 1997, a resolution to change the law to acknowledge the rights of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge "as having supreme and exclusive jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Minnesota" was passed. The white Grand Lodge recognized the Prince Hall Grand Lodge in April of 199 1. In an e-mail correspondence with the Past Grand Master that submitted the resolution, he stated that part of the law had been overlooked in 1991.
North Carolina: Grand Master Thomas W. Gregory of the white Grand Lodge published a very touching and eloquent letter on the Internet which he stated in part that: "Like many of you, left our Annual Communication very disappointed. I had just been installed into a position more prestigious and honorable than any I could ever hoped to assume as a Master Mason, yet I was disappointed. Why? Because on that same Saturday morning a point of order prevented the delegates discussing and voting on the resolution of the Board of General Purpose condemning racism and bigotry as un-Masonic." "I intended not to sweep the topic of hatred and bigotry under the carpet. I plan to speak against intolerance and racism as long as I am your Grand Master. I will do that with whatever few talents, I possess. I know that the measure of man has nothing to do with his race. I know that if there is a Masonic Lodge in Heaven, it most certainly has good men of every color seated in it, and I believe the Great Architect of the Universe would consider no objection based on the color of a man's skin." "A black Mason from a Lodge recognized by our Grand Lodge has every right to visit a Lodge here in North Carolina. As Grand Master, I will not tolerate a situation where this man is turned away because of the color of his skin. Someone at Annual Communication said we shouldn't air our dirty laundry. No brethren, we shouldn't air it - we should wash it! With our payers and the blessing of God, we can all do the right thing. We only have to look at our Masonic teaching and be attentive to what we feel in our hearts. I have every confidence that the Masons of this state will do just that."
Wisconsin: The white Grand Lodge had Resolution No.6-97 calling for the removal of the words "free born" from the ritual as eligibility requirements for membership. The Resolution was laid over to the 1998 Annual Communication.
Texas: The fraternal relations report of the white Grand Lodge for December 1998 reports on recognition of Prince Hall Grand Lodges by several jurisdictions, both in visitation and outright recognition as well as some of the controversy that has arisen in some jurisdiction because of this recognition.
For instance, the Grand Lodge of England as of September 17, 1998 recognizes both a State and a Prince Hall Grand Lodge within the State of California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California-Hawaii, Ohio, New Mexico, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. However members of the Grand Lodge of England are barred from visiting Lodges in Kansas, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, which are Grand Jurisdiction which have recognized, at least for visiting, Prince Hall Grand Lodges not recognized by England. It is interesting to note that members of the Grand Lodge of England has notified the Phylaxis Society that eventually all will be worked out.