Black Square & Compass: 200 Years of Prince Hall Freemasonry

by Joseph A. Walkes Jr.

Mr. Walkes spent years of research before arriving at and presenting his views. He gives verbatim writings, as well as reporductions of letters, papers, certificatess, etc. This is sold by the publisher Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply.

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1989

Reviews

[Michael]

A well researched and written history of the Prince Hall, or Black Man's masonic lodge.......mgc

[Tyler Anderson]

Frank and challenging, this book should be on the shelf of anyone who considers themselves to be a student of American Fraternalism. Walkes does more than just foist a quick history of Prince Hall Affiliated masonry. Each chapter chooses a topic and unravels whatever prejudiced or even falsified scholarship or propaganda that has grown up around it, whether at the hands of Caucasian or African American writers.

The tone can be argumentative occasionally, but for good reason. Finishing this book, I felt that I had only read a preface. The number of open ended topics and references, and the author's reasonable need to get in and get out, so as to cover topics without writing a whole book on every one of them, suggests how much more research is needed. This is only a start, but it is a fascinating one.

It took me a long time to find a copy of this book, finally coming across it on the sales table of the NM Lodge of Research. Similar specialty venues might be the necessary outlet to be investigated by some unable to land one. That said, this should be put to press again.

[Warren]

Excellent read.