"Prince Hall and His Followers, written by a scholarly Afro-American, presents to the world a treatise on the legitimacy of Negro Masonry that should be in the hands of every Mason seeking for Truth." -Crisis (1915)

"Prince Hall, preacher, race champion, abolitionist, father of negro Masonry, one of the great figures in negro history...the character and work of this great man have been admirably set forth in a new book of vital interest to Masons and laymen, the book is 'Prince Hall and His Followers,' the author is George W. Crawford, Grand Master of Connecticut." -Crisis (1916)

How did Prince Hall manage in the 1780s to become the father of African-American freemasonry, over the objections of established American freemason authorities?

African-American lawyer and grand master George W. Crawford (1877-August 1, 1972) has surprising answers in his 1914 book "Prince Hall and His Followers; Being a Monograph on the Legitimacy of Negro Masonry." It is this public domain book that has been republished here for the convenience of the interested reader.

In introducing his book, Crawford writes:

"A statement of the case for the legitimacy of Negro Masonry, from the viewpoint of the Negro Mason himself, is the principal object of this little book."