Arkansas African-American Masons in 1904

[African Americana]: [Arkansas]:

Thirty-Second Proceedings of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Arkansas... [wrapper title].

[N.p., likely Pine Bluff, Ar: 1904]. [12],238pp., including numerous photographic portraits. Original blue wrappers printed in black and gilt. Some chipping, fraying, and insect damage to wrappers. Old dampstain on last leaf and rear wrapper, the two partially adhered together. Good only. Item #12874

A rare record of the proceedings of African-American Masons in Arkansas just a few years after the turn of the 20th century, memorializing their annual meeting at Pine Bluff in August of 1904. The work includes the standard array of organizational information, opening with its Article of Incorporation, mostly through the detailed report of the proceedings, which included financial reports, addresses, committee reports, chapter news, reports of other Masonic meetings, "Rolls of Honored Dead," and so forth. In addition to the proceedings the work includes two Appendices - a "Report from the Committee on Foreign Correspondence" and a report of the thirty-second reunion of the founders of the Grand Lodge, respectively. The present work is especially valuable for its inclusion of twenty-four portrait photographs of members, including eight full-page portraits (beginning with the Most Worshipful Grand Master Moses A. Clark and Augustus Richmond, Deputy Grand Master) and sixteen fourth-page photos; all of the latter portraits are featured in the second Appendix and picturing older members and founders, some of whom were almost certainly slave-born. Exact holdings for this entry are difficult to parse out in OCLC serial and microfilm records, but the present issue appears to be quite rare among the relatively small smattering of holdings of Arkansas Masonic proceedings at all.

Price: $850