Striving in Excellence, Serving with Pride!
Striving in Excellence, Serving with Pride!
Lineage of the Craft
The Archive of Authority
On March 6, 1775, Prince Hall and 14 men of color were made masons in Lodge #441 of the Irish Registry attached to the 38th British Foot Infantry at Castle William Island in Boston Harbor. This marked the first time that Black men were made masons in America.
African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776. On March 2, 1784, African Lodge #1 petitioned the Grand Lodge of England for a warrant. The charter was issued on Sept 29, 1784, to **African Lodge #459**. In 1847, the name was changed to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge to honor the founding father.
Chronology
Grand Lodge of Louisiana (Est. 1863)
A convention of Ancient York Masons was held in New Orleans on Jan 5, 1863, at the Hall of Richmond Lodge No. 4, Clinton Street. The convention was called to order by Brother Lewis Banks, and Brother **John Parsons** was chosen as chairman. Richmond Lodge #4, Stringer #11, and Parsons #18 were constituted to form the Grand Lodge for the State of Louisiana.
John Parsons
James B. Berry
Lewis Banks
Jurdan B. Noble
Wellington West
George J. Davis
Lafayette Robinson was appointed the first WM of Alsen Pride on Feb 2, 1946, by GM John G. Lewis Jr. after the lodge petitioned to transition from Ancient Free & Accepted Masons to Prince Hall Affiliated status.
After being defunct from 1949, GM Ralph Slaughter reorganized Alsen Pride Lodge #253 in 1998 with the assistance of Twilight Lodge #166. The reorganizing brothers included Bernard Brown, Donn Taylor, Byron Gray Sr., and Eric Jones.
Past Masters Roll
- Lafayette Robinson '46-'49
- Bernard Brown '99-'01
- Donn Taylor '01-'03
- Eric Jones '03-'04
- Byron Gray Sr. '04-'07
- Raesheen Taylor '07-'08
- Joseph Antoine '08-'12
- Jason Dixon '12-'13
- Mike Brown '13-'15
- Laddy Osby '15-'17
- Keith Williams Sr. '17-'18
- Cornelius Hitchens '18-'22, '24-'25
- Quinton Davis '23
- WM Joseph McAllister '26