Masonic initiation document for Boston's African Lodge No. 459
date: label: Date
content: 1826
name: label: Created by
content: African Lodge, No. 459, American, 1776 - 1847
label: Received by
content: Nero Powers, American, died 1829
label: Signed by
content: John T. Hilton, American, 1801 - 1864
label: Signed by
content: Walker Lewis
label: Signed by
content: Aaron Gaul, American
label: Signed by
content: Isaac Barbadoes
label: Subject of
content: Prince Hall, 1735 - 1807
notes: label: Description
content: A membership certificate from the Masonic African Lodge No. 459, Boston, Massachusetts, certifying the promotion of Nero Powers to the rank of third-degree Mason.
label: Description
content: The front of the paper features artwork of woodcut architectural motifs and columns on the left and right sides of the centered print. The all-seeing eye is depicted at the top beneath a line of Masonic decorative print. The left side of the paper is pierced with a silk ribbon and there is residue of a wax seal at upper left.
label: Description
content: In black print type the certificate reads, [AND THE DARKNESS PRESENDETH IT NOT / IN THE EAT A PLACE OF LIGHT, WHERE REIGN SILENCE AND PEACE. / WEA the Master, Wardens and Secretary of / AFRICAN LODGE, No. 459 held in the Town of / Boston hereof, our Worthy Brother Nero Powers / has been regularly initiated into the third Degree of / MASONRY:… AS such he has been received by us, and / being a True and Faithful Brother, is hereby recommended to the / Favor and Protection of all FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, / wheresoever dispersed. / In Witness whereof we have caused the Seal of our / said Lodge to be hereunto affixed, this 13th day of November / 1826Anno Lucis 5826].
label: Description
content: The certificate is signed by the Warden [John T. Hilton WM.], and Secretaries [Walker Lewis S.W. / Aaron Gaul S.W. / Isaac Barbadoes Sect.] at the bottom. On the reverse of certificate is an ink inscription, “18539 / S.D. 7".
place: label: Place printed
content: Boston, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Associations and institutions
label: Topic
content: Fraternities
label: Topic
content: Free communities of color
label: Topic
content: Freemasonry
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Societies
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2021.51
objectType: label: Type
content: certificates
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: wax and ink on wove paper with silk (textile)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 10 3/4 × 9 in. (27.3 × 22.9 cm)