Masonic certificate signed by Arturo Schomburg
date: label: Date
content: March 5, 1919
name: label: Created by
content: Most Worshipful Stringer Grand Lodge of Freemasons, Prince Hall Affiliation, founded 1873
label: Subject of
content: Joseph E. Capers, American
label: Signed by
content: Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Puerto Rican, 1874 - 1938
notes: label: Description
content: A wove paper illustrated and engraved Masonic certificate for Joseph E. Capers, signed by Arturo Schomburg, 1919.
label: Description
content: Depicted in highly detailed linework across the bulk of this document, is a super elaborate and ritualistic Freemasons certificate, presented to Joseph E. Capers upon his elevation to Master Mason. At the top is the iconic Egyptian Masonic All-Seeing-Eye, or Eye-of-Rah, the Freemasonic ‘G’ beneath the eye, flanked on either side by Sphinx. The structure drawn has inscriptions that read: [THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE / OF / THE MOST ANCIENT & HONORABLE FRATERNITY / OF / FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS / OF THE / STATE OF NEW YORK / By these present testify and declare to all / whom it may concern that our Brother / [signed] Joseph E. Capers / who has signed his name in the margin hereof is / a Master Mason of regular standing in / … Lodge No 3 We do therefore / recommend that he be received and acknowledged / as such by all free and accepted Freemasons / wheresoever dispersed / In testimony whereof we have caused / the signatures of our Grand Master and our / Grand … and the seal of this Grand / Lodge to be hereunto affixed at / this 5th day of March A.L. 1919 A.D. 1919 / [signed] David W. Parker (Master) / [signed] A. Schomburg].
label: Description
content: At the bottom of the certificate is: [This Certificate was delivered to Brother [signed] Joseph E. Capers] on the 17th day of March AL 1919 AD 5919 / By [signed] William H. Hill “acting” Worshipful Master of Corner Stone Lodge No 37 in N. Y. City / Attest: [signed] Joseph W. Albright Secretary].
label: Description
content: On the reverse of the certificate are various inscriptions.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Architecture
label: Topic
content: Associations and institutions
label: Topic
content: Building Arts
label: Topic
content: Craftsmanship
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Fraternal organizations
label: Topic
content: Freemasonry
label: Topic
content: Men
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 purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2020.26.26
objectType: label: Type
content: engravings
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: ink on wove paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 8 7/16 × 13 5/8 in. (21.5 × 34.6 cm)