Telling Our Own Story: Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum Unveiled

The Beehive is proud to present the second  article on the Wilbert M. Curtis Library Museum  of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas opened this June, 2011. This article was written by the Grand Editor of The Grand Lodge Publication, “The Texas Prince Hall Freemason” and will appear in the Fall 2011 issue of that publication. We get to read it now. My thanks to Brother Burrell Parmer, Grand Editor, for a much more detailed article than I penned.

Telling Our Own Story:  Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum Unveiled

Story By:
Grand Editor Burrell Parmer (1)
Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas – By the authority vested in the office of the Grand Master and in accordance with the constitution of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Texas, the Honorable Wilbert M. Curtis hereby called all Prince Hall Masons of Texas into the Grand Lodge’s 136th Annual Grand Communication held at the Grand Masonic Temple, June 24 – 25.

On June 25, the Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony and name unveiling at the Grand Masonic Temple.

The Library Museum adds another repository for the collection of Prince Hall Masonic History in the city.  It will possess collections and preservation of Prince Hall Masonic History and activities in Tarrant County and throughout the state in the form of photos, paintings, books, articles, original lodge charters, cornerstones, ledgers, uniforms, a Lodge Room, etc.  Many of the items date back to the late 1800’s.

Government officials from Tarrant County and the Texas House of Representatives, officials from the Tarrant County Black Historical & Genealogical Society and the Fort Worth Public Library were in attendance.  Special guests included Grand Masters of Prince Hall Grand Lodges:  G.M. John Miller of Arizona, G.M. Arvin Glass of Tennessee, G.M. Cleveland Wilson of Arkansas, G.M. Anthony Stafford of Florida, and G.M. Deary Vaughn of Oklahoma, who also serves as the Sovereign Grand Commander, United Supreme Council, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction.

Every Texas Prince Hall Masonic Organization was represented to include Grand Worthy Matron Martha Wolridge and Grand Worthy Patron Robert B. Calloway Jr. of the Norris Wright Cuney Grand Chapter; Grand Most Ancient Matron Jackie Levingston and Grand Joshua Isaac Cary Sr. of the Grand High Court, Heroines of Jericho; Grand Princess Caption R. Lucille Samuel of the Lone Star Grand Guild, Heroines of the Templars Crusade;  State Grand Loyal Lady Ruler Shirley Gideon of the Texas Council of Assemblies, Order of the Golden Circle; Most Excellent Grand High Priest Willie Tate of the Most Excellent Prince Hall Grand Chapter, Holy Royal Arch Masonry; and Right Eminent Grand Commander Ronald Gerac of the Lone Star Grand Commandery of Knights Templar Masons of Texas.

After the opening prayer by Deputy Grand Chaplain Rev. F.D. Sampson Jr. and the occasion delivered by Grand Junior Warden Frank Jackson.  Grand Marshal Ronald Gerac made the Proclamation and the Consecration was then performed by Deputy G.M. Michael Anderson, Grand Senior Warden Bryce Hardin I, and G.J.W. Jackson overseen by the Hon. Edwin B. Cash, the only living Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge.

With the Consecration of corn, wine, and oil complete, G.M. Curtis with tears in his eyes cut the ceremonial ribbon and provided comments.

“We will now be able to tell our own story,” said G.M. Curtis.  “I hope that the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the state of Texas will embraced this Library Museum and utilize it as a research resource.”

“The Library Museum has been on the Trestle Board of the Grand Lodge for many years.  Now it has come to fruition,” said G.M. Curtis.  “Getting to this point of the grand opening has been a rewarding experience not only for me but also for the team members that assisted me.”

After G.M. Curtis comments, he opened the door to the Library Museum and guests began to pour in to view its treasures.

The original design of the Library Museum was conceived by Nicole Hawthorne, daughter of Past Master Benny Tucker, the Chairman of the Archives Committee.

Hawthorne, a graduate of Baylor University with a Bachelors of Art in Interior Design, had been performing interior design since 2007.  She was asked in June 2010 by her father to produce some drawings.

According to Hawthorne, she wanted to create something that reflected what the space would be used for.

“I wanted the look and feel of the area to resemble a turn-of-the-century, new world library.  The antiquated, over-sized portraits displayed there were inspiration for the rest of the design and everything else branched from them,” said Hawthorne.  “The design of the Library Museum was intended to be like a time capsule with a rich historic atmosphere.”

G.J.W. Jackson, who also serves as the Grand Lodge Historian, provided background on the Library Museum’s conception.

“The Library Museum is a labor of love, it came from a vision by G.M. Curtis and we are thankful for him and his leadership.  One thing that alarmed us was that we were losing a lot of our history and archives at a very disturbing rate,” said G.J.W. Jackson.  “If we were to look forward from today, maybe 50 to 100 years, it will be highly likely that people will know our story and I truly believe that you cannot really tell the story of Texas without telling the story of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas.”

“We are proud of our legacy, we are proud of our heritage.  If we don’t tell our story, no one is going to tell it for us,” said G.J.W. Jackson.  “We have numerous materials. We haven’t even been able to go through all the archives, and materials are still being donated.

Currently the Library Museum only shows you just a glimpse of our treasures.  So when people come here, we want them to see the vision that our Grand Master has shared with us and for researchers to see the culture and history that Prince Hall Masons have contributed to the great state of Texas.”

The mission of the Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum is as follows:

• To collect, organize, describe, make available, and preserve primary and secondary resource materials emphasizing the historical documentation of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas and its impact on the cultural milieu on the broader local communities, the state of Texas, the Jurisdictions under its authority and the larger expanse of human kind.
• To provide adequate facilities for the retention and preservation of such records.
• To serve as a resource and research center to stimulate and promote creative teaching and learning through the use of primary research materials; and provide instruction in the use of those materials.
• To promote research and scholarship by providing access and encouraging the use of its collections by members of the Masonic Family and the public at large.
• To implement records management by formulating policy and procedures that will ensure the collection and preservation of the Library Museum’s materials.

The Library Museum is available to the public by appointment Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Information about the Library Museum can be obtained by contacting the Grand Lodge Office at 817-534-4612 or by visiting www.wmctphlm.com.

FACT SHEET

WILBERT M. CURTIS TEXAS PRINCE HALL LIBRARY MUSEUM

The Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum, located in the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Texas & Jurisdiction’s (M.W.P.H.G.L.) Grand Temple,  at 3433 Martin Luther King Freeway, Fort Worth, Texas 76101 serves as the final repository for the historical records of the Grand Lodge, and as an archival repository for historical materials documenting the history of selective Texas Prince Hall Masons Masonic achievements related to:  (1) the cultural history (to include the political, social, economic, religious, histories etc.) of the state of Texas and the Jurisdictions under the authority of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas, (2) the activities and services rendered by the local Lodges to their respective communities, (3) the general interests, activities and services rendered to numerous communities within the state of Texas under the authority of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas by its Appendant & Concordant Bodies.

The Library Museum welcomes gifts of books, papers, manuscripts, photographs, artwork, records, audio tapes, video tapes, maps, pamphlets, scrapbooks, oral history, memorabilia, and other archival records of historical value which will enhance the teaching, learning, research and service of the members affiliated with M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas and or is interested in the advancement of knowledge related to Free Masonry.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Wilbert M. Curtis Texas Prince Hall Library Museum is as follows:

• To collect, organize, describe, make available, and preserve primary and secondary resource materials emphasizing the historical documentation of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas and its impact on the cultural milieu on the broader local communities, the state of Texas, the Jurisdictions under its authority and the larger expanse of human kind.
• To provide adequate facilities for the retention and preservation of such records
• To serve as a resource and research center to stimulate and promote creative teaching and learning through the use of primary research materials; and provide instruction in the use of those materials.
• To promote research and scholarship by providing access and encouraging the use of its collections by members of the Masonic Family and the public at large.
• To implement records management by formulating policy and procedures that will ensure the collection and preservation of the Library Museum’s materials.

Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge
Free & Accepted Masons of Texas Prince Hall Masonry in Texas:

Under the leadership of Captain W.D. Mathews, Most Worshipful Grand Master of Kansas, Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons were established in Texas in 1871 and 1873 to wit:

San Antonio Lodge No. 22 – Magnolia Lodge No. 24 – Mt. Bonnell Lodge No. 2
Galveston Lodge No. 25 – Mt. Lebanon Lodge No. 26

These were the first Negro Free and Accepted Masonic Lodges organized in Texas.

In the early part of June 1875, Norris Wright Cuney, Deputy Grand Master, and Richard Allen, District Deputy Grand Master, acting under the authority of the Kansas Jurisdiction, issued a call requesting the above named Lodges to send representatives on August 19, 1875, to meet with Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 26, located in Brenham, Texas.  The purpose was to organize then the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Texas.

Key Facts:

• On August 20, 1875, the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons of the state of Texas was organized in Brenham, Texas.
• The first Grand Master of Prince Hall Masons in Texas was the Hon. Norris Wright Cuney.
• The first 5 Prince Hall Lodges in Texas were charted by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Kansas.
• On June 28, 1950, the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons of the state of Texas was renamed to The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Texas.
• The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas is a descendant of the first Prince Hall Grand Lodge.
• From 1875 to 1906, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge had no permanent meeting place.  Its annual meetings were held in various cities in Texas.  In 1906, Fort Worth became the Prince Hall Grand Lodge’s permanent home.
• 20 Grand Masters have served the Prince Hall Grand Lodge; currently the Hon. Wilbert M. Curtis currently presides as Grand Master.
• There are 160 Prince Hall Lodges in Texas with more than 3,000 members.
• Concordant Bodies of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas include:
  • Most Excellent Prince Hall Grand Chapter Holy Royal Arch Masons
  • Lone Star Grand Commandery Knights Templar Masons
  • Orient of Texas, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masons
  • Appendant Bodies of the M.W.P.H.G.L. of Texas include:
    • Norris Wright Cuney Grand Chapter
    • Prince Hall Grand High Court Heroines of Jericho
    • Lone Star Grand Guild Heroines of the Templar Crusade
    • Order of the Golden Circle Auxiliary to the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry