St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-04-25
Masonic Grand Masters
Name Indianan President;
Claim White Recognition

TULSA, Okla. - Grand Master
Cornelius R. Richardson of Indi-
ana was elected president Of the
Grand Masters Conference Of
Prince Hall Masons last Thursday
at the closing session Of a three-day
meeting here. Grand Master Rich.
ardson had been serving as acting
president since the death last Au-
gust of Grand Master John L. Webb
Of Arkansas.
The conference which met here
as the guest Of Grand Master Amos
7. Hall Of Oklahoma, second vice
president, voted to change its name
from the international Conference
Of Grand Masters, Grand Secre-
taries, and so forth, to the Grand
Masters Conference Of Prince Hall
Masons. This change was made to
establish definitely its identity with
Prince Hall Masons, and out Of
Difference to the recent victory Of
the Most Worshipful Prince Han
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts,.
Massachusetts White MasOns
Recognize Group
This recent recognition Of the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of Mas
sachusetts by the Grand Lodge Of
Massachusetts (white) definitely
establishes all Prince Hall Masons
as the only legitimate Masons
among colored people in the United
States.
Grand Master J. Wesley Dobbs
of Georgia, conference secretary,
reported the following grand lodges
represented:
States Represented
Arkansas, Delaware, District Of
Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indi-
ana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, Mississippi, Missouri,
New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia,
West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Included in this representation
were 10 grand masters, deputy
grand masters, grand secretaries,
grand treasurers, grand lecturers,
and foreign correspondence COM
mittee chairmen, also past officers
in each Of the various positions.
More than 100 delegates represent
ing 81 of the 81 grand lodges, MEM
bers of the conference, were in at
tendance. There are only 80 Prince
Hall Masonic grand lodges in the
United States and Canada.
Attempt UnificatiOn
Much work was done by the con-
ference in unifying the program
of Prince Hall Masons in the
United States and Canada. Grand
Master Hall of Oklahoma, chair
man Of the committee on clandes-
tine Masonry reviewed what legal
steps had been taken to bar clandes-
tine Masonry from the jurisdic-
ton Of Oklahoma and suggested
what could be done in other states.
A legal committee, made up Of
attorney-members of the confer
ence, was established to assist other
jurisdictions in their fight on "bo-
gus" Masonry.
The conference closed last Thurs
day afternoon, to meet in Wash
ington, D. c., for its 1913 session,
as guest Of the Most Worshipful
Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of the
District Of Columbia. The invitation
was extended by DR.. Melvin J. Key,
grand master Of the District Of
on behalf Of the grand
odge which is meeting next year
n its centennial communication.
Other officers Of the conference
ire: Amos T. Hall, grand master
# Oklahoma, first vice president;
Norris J. Hicks, grand master Of
Massachusetts,, second vice presi-
lent; J. Wesley Dobbs, grand
master Of Georgia, secretary; DR..
). B. Key, grand secretary Of
North Carolina, chaplain; H. Stew
Ird Mann, grand master Of New
Jersey, sergeant-at-arms; George
v. Smith, deputy grand master Of
Georgia, chorister, and Rudolf
Johnson, past grand lecturer Of
illinois, director of publicity.