Prince Hall Masonic Lodge joins MLK National Historical Park
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The Prince Hall Masonic Temple and Lodge will open to the public this spring. Photo: Courtesy of the Atlanta History Center
Atlanta's Prince Hall Masonic Temple and Lodge is now part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
Why it matters: The lodge, at the corner of Hilliard Street and Auburn Avenue, was home to many influential organizations, including WERD, the first Black-owned radio station in the country, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Driving the news: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday to mark the expansion of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District, managed by the National Park Service.
- The inclusion ensures that "future generations can learn from and be inspired by the history and legacy enshrined in these walls," said the Trust for Public Land, which worked with NPS, Prince Hall masons, local leaders and other partners to secure funding to restore the building.
What they're saying: Reginald Chapple, superintendent of the MLK National Historical Park, said in a news release that including the lodge in the district helps tell an important part of the story of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.
- "The park remains committed to working with the King family, the Masons, Eastern Stars, and partners to preserve the Sweet Auburn community and share the legacy of Dr. King in the neighborhood that shaped him and his philosophies," Chapple said.
- Primus James, the Prince Hall grand master, said the lodge will continue to be a gathering space for Black cultural, civic and labor groups.
- "The Masons serve as a driver of progress in the Black community, and the re-opening of the renovated Prince Hall Masonic Lodge and Temple exemplifies the advancement of our people," James said in a statement.
Zoom in: Other historic organizations that met at the lodge include the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the Atlanta Civic and Political League, which was founded by John Wesley Dobbs.
- The lodge also housed a Madam C.J. Walker beauty shop, a business established by the Black woman who would become the country's first self-made female millionaire.
What's next: The lodge will open to the public in the spring, with NPS providing programming for visitors.