For more than two and a half centuries, Prince Hall Freemasonry has stood as a beacon of light, dignity, and perseverance. Founded in 1775 when Prince Hall and fourteen other free men of African descent were initiated into a British military lodge in Boston, our tradition emerged during a time of exclusion and injustice. From those beginnings, Prince Hall Freemasonry grew into one of the oldest and most influential African American fraternal organizations in the world, producing leaders, educators, clergy, soldiers, and civic servants who strengthened their communities and advanced the cause of equality and uplift.