Widows Sons Lodge No. 11

The history of Widows Sons' Lodge No. 11 is traceable to March 6th, 1775, when the first Lodge of
black masons was organized in colonial America.

Fifthteen black men were initiated into the mysteries of Free Masonry in a military Lodge stationed at
Boston, Massachusetts. The moving personality among these men was a man by the name of Prince
Hall.

Widows Sons' Lodge was organized in july1849 in Brooklyn NY by dissidents of Boyer Lodge No. "1",
Rising Sun Lodge (now defunct) and Celestial Lodge No. 3, who were disposed to the idea of a
national union of black masons in the United States. These Brethrens had grandiose visions of an
untied Masonic fraternity of black men under a National Grand Lodge which would have appellate and
supreme Masonic powers over masonry throughout the Untied States.

The Lodge was designated as No. "1" on the roster of the National Grand Lodge.

The National Grand Lodge was short lived.

In 1877, Widows Sons' participated in the conference which reunited the two existing Grand Lodges
of Prince in the State of New York.

In 1879, the Lodge was designated as No. "11" on the roster of the Most Worshipful Prince Grand
Lodge of the State of New York.