OUR HISTORY

The Most Worshipful George Washington Carver Grand Lodge, Inc.

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts

A Brief Historical Sketch

The Most Worshipful George Washington Carver Grand Lodge, Inc., Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (Sometimes referred to as Scottish Rite Masons), was organized on June 23, 1945. This was prompted by the unfortunate decline of The Most Worshipful Alpha Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Massachusetts. This act was deemed necessary in order to continue the work of the Scottish Rite Masons of color in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
On that historical occasion, a constitutional number of warranted Lodges (St. John Lodge of Boston, MA Attleboro Lodge of Attleboro, MA, and Richard T. Hensley Lodge of Everett, MA) resolved themselves into a General Masonic Convention. With the worthy advice, instruction, and assistance of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M of New York under the direction of MW Elton H. Nightingale and under the supervision of the United Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States under the direction of MPSGC Ill. JC Parker,33° they formed themselves into a Grand Lodge of Masons.
At that time, they assumed and still retain the same membership that was once held by Alpha Grand Lodge in the General Grand Masonic Congress of the United States of America.
The Most Worshipful George Washington Carver Grand Lodge became at that time the only Grand Lodge of Negro Freemasons in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with a legitimate background of A.F. & A.M. status whose origin dates back to the year 1895. It was this year that the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was masonically healed and set right by representatives of the Caucasian Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of Roumania, Germany.
The Most Worshipful George Washinton Carver Grand Lodge was incorporated under the laws of the state of Massachusetts on January 31, 1947. At that time the Masonic conditions in Massachusetts were so alarming and intolerable, that the actions became necessary if not imperative for the good of the Order as well as for the future welfare of the craft generally. Therefore, St. John Lodge, AF & AM (Bro. Lewis H. Stickney, WM; Bro. Judah O’Neil, SW; and Bro. James Pickens, JW); Attleboro Lodge, AF & AM (Bro. Tony McNeill, WM; Bro. Joseph W. Pierce, SW; and Bro. EJ Hopkins, JW) Richard Hensey Lodge, AF & AM (Bro. Herbert D. Allen, WM; Bro. Ralph T. Hensey, SW; and Bro. John Pearson, JW), and Past Masters in convention assembled set apart a Grand Body to be styled and known as George Washington Carver Grand Lodge, Inc. AF & AM of the state of Massachusetts and its Masonic Jurisdiction.
Under the worthy advice, instructions, and assistance of the Ill. JC Parker, 33°, MPSG and proxy of MW Elton Nightingale, a resolution was voted upon and adopted by a large majority vote, and the election and installation of Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge was held.