- Black Masons group sees drop in recruits
Boston Globe, May 3, 2000
boston.com/dailyglobe2/124/metro/
Black_Masons_group_sees_drop_in_recruitsP.shtml
The year was 1776. The 13 colonies declared their independence and a nation was
born. That same year something else happened, something not as well known but of
great importance to blacks today.
Prince Hall, a free black man living in Boston, created Prince Hall Masons, a
fraternal organization that became a political and social haven for oppressed
blacks.
(…)
But today, as hundreds of Masons from around the world converge on Boston for a
four-day conference, the group is grappling with concerns over declining
enrollment and an inability to recruit young people.
(…)
Today, the group has 4,000 lodges and 300,000 members around the world - a
decline, but officials said they could not provide accurate figures on the
decrease.
According to Bynoe and other Mason leaders, the organization is seeing a
decrease in membership, in part, because blacks today have a a wide range of
civic organizations from which to choose.
(…)
Prince Hall Masons was not officially recognized by its white counterpart until
1995. In 1943, a women’s auxiliary group became part of Prince Hall Masons.
…more…]
apologeticsindex.org/news/an200504.html
