Masonic membership restrictions, in the past or present, based on religion or race

Grand Lodges that now restrict, or in the past have restricted
Masonic membership – based on religion or race

According to A Prince Hall Masonic Quiz Book (pages 78-94), and Black Square & Compass: 200 Years of Prince Hall Freemasonry (pages 134-138), both books by Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., and both published by Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co. in Richmond, Virginia, several U.S. Grand Lodges have in the past had specific prohibitions against Black men becoming Masons, and in some there is still a de facto policy against Black men being allowed to become Masons.

Examples of explicit statements or actions include the following: (statements in quotation marks have been personally read and checked by Paul M. Bessel; some of these, plus others, are cited in Joe Walkes’ books)

<td “=””>1851 Proceedings – Meeting of June 7, 1851 – pages 141-142
Although it is not precisely clear from the Proceedings, it appears a report was presented by the Committee on Foreign Correspondence, that included a section on Masonic Jurisprudence that contained many numbered paragraphs including those shown in red below. However, it should be noted that on page 172 the Proceedings  indicate that the Grand Lodge “Resolved, That the thirty four Articles in the Report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence, commencing on page 141, and ending on page 150, are not considered as binding upon this Grand [Lodge] or any of its subordinates.”:
“. . . we will repeat some of the opinions we have heretofore expressed . . .
“I. It is not proper to initiate in our [lodges] persons of the Negro race; and their exclusion is in accordance with Masonic law, and the Ancient charges and regulations. Because of their depressed social condition; their general lack of intelligence, which unfits them as a body, to work in or adorn the Craft; the impropriety in making them our equals, in one place, when from their social condition, and the circumstances which almost every where attach to them, we cannot do so in others; their not being, as a general thing, free-born; the impossibility, or at least the difficulty, or ascertaining, if we once commence, their free-birth, and where the line of intelligence and social elevation commences and ends, or divides portions of the race; and, finally, their not being, as a race, persons “of good report,” or who can be “well recommended,” as subjects for initiation, and their very seldom being persons who have any “trade, estate, office, occupation, or visible way of acquiring an honest livelihood, and working in his Craft, as becomes the members of this Ancient and most honorable Fraternity, who ought not only to earn, what is sufficient for themselves and families, but likewise something to spare for works of charity, and for supporting the Ancient grandeur and dignity of the royal Craft; eating no man’s bread for nought;” and their general positive deficiency of natural endowments.
“All which would render it impossible, as a general thing, to conciliate and continue between them and us, that good will, and private affection or brotherly love, which cements into one united body, the members of this Ancient Fraternity.
“We make these remarks, because, during the past year, an application has been made to one of our subordinate [lodges], No. 109, by a ‘colored man,’ to initiate him; recommended by two brethren; which application was not, however, complied with, as it did not come in the form prescribed by their rules. For authority in support of our views, we cite, the Ancient Charges, as prefixed to the Constitutions of this Grand [Lodge] of 1785, 1801, 1832, and 1845; and also to Anderson’s Constitutions of Masonry of 1723.
“II. No person of the Negro race should be examined or admitted as a visitor, in any [lodge] of Masons under this jurisdiction, if made in an African [lodge] in North America. Because, all such [lodges] are clandestine, and without legal authority.”
“There is one or more such [lodges] in New York city; one in Boston; one in Cincinnati; one in St. Louis; and we are informed, one or more in New Jersey, and one in Chilicothe, Ohio; and others in Philadelphia. Some of them pretend to charter [lodges]; and in New York they have what they call Royal Arch Chapters and Encampments of Knight Templars. How this has come about we cannot say; tbut the African charter in Boston, was derived by the practice of a deception, from the Grand [Lodge] of England.
“We presume, no regular Grand [Lodge] will grant such charters knowingly; or allow its subordinates to make such persons Free Masons; and should they do it, we would in general advise their rejection as visitors, on the ground that they were illegally made.
“III. It is inexpedient, as a general rule, to initiate persons of the Indian race; or constitute [lodges] among them, because, while some few educated Indians may be qualified to receive the Masonic degrees, the mass of them are too illiterate and debased in morals, habits and religion, to allow of their being worthy and creditable members.
“Two initiations of Aborigines have taken place, by dispensation from the D. Grand Master, in one of our [lodges], No. 199, the past winter, Tecumsah and Peewauk, sons of Maungdwais, of the Ojubbeway tribe; who is engaged with his family in giving travelling exhibitions of Indian manners and customs, and therefore, of transient residence. These initiations may have been very proper. We allude to them distinctly, in order to say that we do not apply our remarks to those cases, particularly, as we are ignorant of their qualifications; and as their father, we understand, is a Mason, and a very intelligent and well informed man. What we say on this subject, we sayt with reference to a general practice, and would earnestly recommend great caution and circumspection therein.”