The Origin and Objects of Ancient Freemasonry, Its Introduction Into the United States, and Legitimacy Among Colored Men

by Martin R. Delany

Martin Robison Delany (1812 – 1885) was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, and writer, and arguably the first proponent of black nationalism. He was one of the first three black people admitted to Harvard Medical School.

Delany became more active in political matters. In 1835 he attended his first National Negro Convention, held in Philadelphia since 1831. He was inspired to conceive a plan to set up a 'Black Israel' on the east coast of Africa.

"The Origin and Objects of Ancient Freemasonry, Its Introduction Into the United States, and Legitimacy Among Colored Men" was published by Delany in 1853.
In this book Delany writes:

"In the year 178—, a number of colored men in Boston, Massachusetts, applied to the proper source for a grant of Masonic privileges, which being denied them, by force of necessity they went to England, which, at that time not recognizing the Masonic fraternity of America, the then acting Grand Master, (recorded on the warrant as the Right Honorable, Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland) granted a warrant to the colored men to make Masons and establish Lodges, subject, of course, to the Grand Lodge of England. In course of time, their ties became absolved; not before it was preceded by the establishment of an independent Grand Lodge in Philadelphia, Pa., by colored men, and subsequently, a general Grand Lodge, known as the First Independent African Grand Lodge of North America."

CONTENTS
MAN FROM NOAH TO SOLOMON.
MAN THE LIKENESS OF GOD.
FROM SOLOMON DOWN.
THE STAGES OF MAN'S HISTORY.
ITS INTRODUCTION INTO THE UNITED STATES.
AMONG COLORED MEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
 

54 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1853

About the author

Martin Robinson Delany was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, soldier, writer and proponent of black nationalism. Delany was born in Charles Town, Virginia and raised and in Chambersburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1850, Delany was among the first three black students admitted to Harvard Medical School, from which they were dismissed weeks after their admission due to student protests. Delany traveled throughout the South in 1839 to observe slavery there, and in 1847 started working with Frederick Douglass to publish North Star, an anti-slavery newspaper.

At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Delany returned to the United States after living in Canada and visiting Liberia. By 1863, Delany was recruiting blacks for the United States Colored Troops. In 1865, Delany became the first African-American field grade officer in the United States Army, having been commissioned as a major. After the American Civil War, Delany settled in South Carolina and pursued a political career before his death in 1885 as a member of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Reviews

[Mike Parrott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent

Good overview of the ancient history of freemasonry. Not very comprehensive and didn't go into much detail of the origins of Prince Hall Free masonry, but a decent history lesson nonetheless

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this e-book on Barnes & Noble instead:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/orig...
(The Amazon link went to a blank page with a dog picture.)