|
|
Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of New York - Copyright © 2010
Rev Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith, Sr. 33°, the grand nephew of the late great Paul Robeson, is the 55th Grand Master of
the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York. A graduate with
honors from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, Dr. Smith also earned two Masters and two Doctoral
degrees. He has an MBA in Marketing and Finance, a Master of Divinity Degree, a Doctorate in Higher Education
Administration and Finance; and a Doctorate in Ministries. He is the Senior Pastor of the Mother African Methodist
Episcopal Zion Church located in Harlem New York, which is the oldest African American institution in the State of New
York, founded in 1796 and chartered in 1799. He holds and has held several major positions in the AME Zion Church,
including that he is the Presiding President of the Elder's Council, and serves on the Connectional Budget Board Executive
Committee. In 1976 at the age of 26, he was elected Director of Public Affairs and Convention Manager of the
denomination, the youngest person to ever be elected to a World Wide office. In the past, he has served as Executive
Secretary of the AME Zion Church Ministers & Lay Association, and, as Pastor of the Mt. Hope AME Zion Church located
in White Plains New York, where in 5 years he transformed that congregation from 85 to 635 members, built and
furnished a new multi-million dollar worship center and a pre-school program. Dr. Smith was also responsible for directing
worldwide international relief assistance and other aid for the National Council of Churches' (NCC), 30 Protestant
denominations. While at the NCC he raised more than $200 million in program support.
Dr Smith is very proud of the history of Mother AME Zion which was one of the earliest and most vocal opponents of slavery and a constant champion of abolition. Slaves who escaped north in search of freedom, knew they could find refuge and assistance at Zion Church, which became affectionately known as "Freedom's Church." In fact, Mother AME Zion became an important stop on the "Underground Railroad", hiding runaway slaves behind the pulpit in a secret passageway. Abolitionist and woman's rights activist Isabella Baumfree transferred her membership from the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church to Zion Church in 1827. It was at the altar of Mother AME Zion in 1843 that she changed her name to "Sojourner Truth" and there she was also reunited with her sisters, who had been separated during slavery. Sojourner Truth became one of the foremost voices for women's and equal rights and the abolition of slavery in America. Throughout its long history, Mother AME Zion has had many illustrious members who were leaders in the historic fight for freedom, including Harriet Tubman; Frederick Douglass, Paul Robeson, Madame C.J. Walker and many others who fought so valiantly to free African Americans socially, politically and spiritually. The legacy of this historic church is difficult to surpass, as it has always been a promoter of education and racial self-help for African Americans in this great city, playing a role in many of the social organizations that were founded to assist and improve the condition of the Negro.
Dr. Smith is a true "renaissance man," successfully integrating a successful career in business, public service and ministry. He has a proven track record of success leading non-governmental, private voluntary and religious agencies, with a strong expertise in the development of strategic alliances between public and private sectors. He has twenty years of marketing, finance and managerial experience in Fortune 100 and, Fortune 500 companies, with responsibility for over $2 Billion in revenue. In December 1990, he was appointed by President H.W. Bush as President and Chief Executive Officer of the African Development Foundation, an independent Federal agency located in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 African nations and a staff of more than 300. He continued to serve in this capacity under President William J Clinton's Administration until May of 1995. He also serves as an officer and member of numerous boards of directors.
Dr. Smith was interviewed by "The History Makers" on January 24, 2007, who designated him as one of the "Outstanding Men of America," and he was also the first African American in New York State to be selected by a major political party as their mayoral candidate. He continues to be active in local, state and national politics, as well as serving as President of Prince Hall Temple Associates, Inc. He is a member of Sigma Pi Phi - Beta Zeta Boulé, and is very well traveled, having visited all but five countries in Africa and over 30 other nations across the globe. His philosophy of life and service is stated in the words of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said in 1948 on his application to Crozer Seminary, "I have an inescapable urge to serve society, and a sense of responsibility, which I could not escape."
Elected to the office of Grand Master in June of 2009, Dr. Smith takes over the leadership of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge at a crucial time in the history of the organization, and faces the daunting task of translating the historical usefulness of this ancient and honorable institution to meet the several challenges of its more than 10,000 members in today's "Information Age."
Dr Smith is very proud of the history of Mother AME Zion which was one of the earliest and most vocal opponents of slavery and a constant champion of abolition. Slaves who escaped north in search of freedom, knew they could find refuge and assistance at Zion Church, which became affectionately known as "Freedom's Church." In fact, Mother AME Zion became an important stop on the "Underground Railroad", hiding runaway slaves behind the pulpit in a secret passageway. Abolitionist and woman's rights activist Isabella Baumfree transferred her membership from the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church to Zion Church in 1827. It was at the altar of Mother AME Zion in 1843 that she changed her name to "Sojourner Truth" and there she was also reunited with her sisters, who had been separated during slavery. Sojourner Truth became one of the foremost voices for women's and equal rights and the abolition of slavery in America. Throughout its long history, Mother AME Zion has had many illustrious members who were leaders in the historic fight for freedom, including Harriet Tubman; Frederick Douglass, Paul Robeson, Madame C.J. Walker and many others who fought so valiantly to free African Americans socially, politically and spiritually. The legacy of this historic church is difficult to surpass, as it has always been a promoter of education and racial self-help for African Americans in this great city, playing a role in many of the social organizations that were founded to assist and improve the condition of the Negro.
Dr. Smith is a true "renaissance man," successfully integrating a successful career in business, public service and ministry. He has a proven track record of success leading non-governmental, private voluntary and religious agencies, with a strong expertise in the development of strategic alliances between public and private sectors. He has twenty years of marketing, finance and managerial experience in Fortune 100 and, Fortune 500 companies, with responsibility for over $2 Billion in revenue. In December 1990, he was appointed by President H.W. Bush as President and Chief Executive Officer of the African Development Foundation, an independent Federal agency located in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 African nations and a staff of more than 300. He continued to serve in this capacity under President William J Clinton's Administration until May of 1995. He also serves as an officer and member of numerous boards of directors.
Dr. Smith was interviewed by "The History Makers" on January 24, 2007, who designated him as one of the "Outstanding Men of America," and he was also the first African American in New York State to be selected by a major political party as their mayoral candidate. He continues to be active in local, state and national politics, as well as serving as President of Prince Hall Temple Associates, Inc. He is a member of Sigma Pi Phi - Beta Zeta Boulé, and is very well traveled, having visited all but five countries in Africa and over 30 other nations across the globe. His philosophy of life and service is stated in the words of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said in 1948 on his application to Crozer Seminary, "I have an inescapable urge to serve society, and a sense of responsibility, which I could not escape."
Elected to the office of Grand Master in June of 2009, Dr. Smith takes over the leadership of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge at a crucial time in the history of the organization, and faces the daunting task of translating the historical usefulness of this ancient and honorable institution to meet the several challenges of its more than 10,000 members in today's "Information Age."