Prince Hall Masonic Order Expands Across the Post-Reconstruction South

Following emancipation, Prince Hall Masonic lodges — the Black Masonic order founded in 1775 by free Black Bostonians — expanded rapidly across the South, providing a protected civic space for Black men during the violent rollback of Reconstruction. By 1880, Prince Hall lodges existed in every Southern state, providing insurance, mutual aid, business networking, and a training ground for Black political leadership.