The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 3 - Overview of Rites 95
the profane world. As Muraskin rightly notes, most of these ideas are not the
particular conception of black Masons but are shared by their white brethren as
well - however, they "play a special role for the Negro which is either not
necessary or, more likely, less necessary for his white brethren." 262 This is
evident because the white race has not lived the experience of being enslaved,
and therefore it has never felt the necessity to prove itself worthy in the eyes of a
"superior" race. Therefore,
[...] one repeatedly finds remarks like, 'The doors of Freemasonry were
open to the Sons of Africa and they were practicing the same in
America when some of the ancestors of our Southern friends were
feudal slaves and vassals to the lords of Europe,' in Masonic literature.
In this remark we see an interesting turning of the tables; the Negro is
not a descendant of slaves, the white man is. 263
Black Masonic historians even go so far as to put in question the legitimacy
of the white Masons' alleged historical line. Thus, the Grand Lecturer of
Alabama said in 1925: "[...] history tells us of the many dark-skinned kings and
rulers as being among the first and foremost ancient Masons like the [...] sphinx
whose lips are sealed. They left us in doubt as to the unsolved mystery of the
whiteman's [sic] claims as to his lawful right to our inheritance [Masonry]." 264
In order to receive the predicate of regularity from the white Masons, without
which Prince Hall Masonry would be illegitimate, the black Masons have
scrupulously adhered to the ritual, conception, and custom of white Masonry.
However, as we can see from the Proceedings of the Report of the Committee on
Research from California, dated 1919, black recital of the order's legendary
history differs significantly from white mythological history insofar that the
black Masons claim:
'We learn from science that the first man was the black man found in
Africa, then we concede the beginning of man was the black man.' And
it is also known that 'the ancient Egyptians were the original man - the
black man. So out of Egypt and through the black man, the world gains
its first knowledge of the worship of the deity and the cultivation of
science...' Thus the white man received Masonry, both operative and
speculative, 'through Egypt as the first man - the black man.' Not only
were 'the Negroes ... the founders of [the] arts, sciences and [other]
forms of culture instead of being only hewers of wood and drawers of
water... It must not be forgotten that Solomon, the builder of the great
Temple ... is the great foundation upon which Masonry the world over
stands. Solomon was a black man.' 265
262
Ibid, p. 198/199.
263
Cited in Muraskin, p. 199.
264
Ibid.
265
Ibid, p. 197.