Charles Rangel Celebrates 200 years of Prince Hall Freemasonry in New York

New York Representative Charles Rangel celebrated the 200th anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1 and Prince Hall Freemasonry in New York on the floor of the House of Representatives last week.

From his remarks on March 22nd, 2012:

History notes that Boyer Lodge No. 1 was named after Jean Pierre Boyer, a native of Saint-Domingue, who was born around February 15, 1776. He was a courageous soldier and leader of the Haitian Revolution, who served as a General under Toussaint L' Ouverture in the Haitian War of Independence against the French Government. Jean Pierre Boyer served as the fourth President of Haiti from 1818 to 1843, and managed to rule for the longest period of time of any of the revolutionary leaders of his generation. He reunited the north and south of Haiti in 1820 and also invaded and took control of Santo Domingo, which brought all of Hispaniola under one government by 1822. Under President Boyer's leadership, Haiti declared independence from France in 1825, becoming the only free Black nation, then in existence.As stated by Worshipful Master Carlo Smith-Ramsay,

The daring price that our ancestors paid to boldly and audaciously decide to become Freemasons at a time in history when men of color were not entirely free men and the laws of the land provided them very little protection is the reason why we should humbly and reverently celebrate our Bi-centennial Anniversary of Boyer Lodge No. 1.''

Read his complete remarks here.

H/T to Stephen Hill