Prince hall

Prince Hall was born in British West Indies. His father, Thomas Prince Hall, was an Englishman and his mother a free colored woman. He worked as a leather worker for his passage on a ship to Boston. During this time he married Sarah Ritchery. Shortly after their marriage, she died at the age of 24. Eight years later he had acquired real estate and was qualified to vote. Prince Hall also pressed John Hancock to be allowed to join the Continental Army and was one of a few blacks who fought at the battle of Bunker Hill. Prince later became a minister in the African Methodist Church and fought for the abolition of slavery.
Prince Hall is recognized as the Father of Black Masonry in the United States. Basically, he made it possible for Negroes to be recognized and enjoy all privileges of free and accepted masonry. Masonry or freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest Fraternity. Freemasonry's singular purpose is to make good men better and its bonds of friendship, compassion and brotherly love have survived even the most divisive political, military and religious conflicts through the centuries. Freemasonry is neither a forum nor a place of worship. It is not a religion and for nearly three hundred years it has attracted men of high moral character who support justice.
Free Masonry among Black men began during the War of Independence in March 6, 1775. The first Master of the masonry Lodge was Sergeant John Batt along with Prince Hall and the other newly made masons. However, when the British Army left Boston, this Lodge became the meeting place for the masons. They used the lodge to bury their dead. For nine years these brethren, together with others who had received their degrees elsewhere, assembled and enjoyed their limited privileges as Masons and finally in March 2, 1784, Prince Hall opened the Grand Lodge of England.
Today, the Prince Hall fraternity has over 4,500 lodges worldwide, forming 44 independent jurisdictions with a membership of over 300,000