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Brotherhood And Purpose At Prince Hall Grand Lodge

Courtesy Julius Brown
Most Worshipful Grand Master Julias Brown

 

This story originally aired on September 2, 2017.

There is an unassuming, boxy building on the corner of Martin Luther King Junior Way and South 17th Street in Tacoma. This is the home Prince Hall Masonic Temple of the Freemasons. The organization is a worldwide fraternity that’s been around for hundreds of years. It’s known for its secret symbols and rituals.

 

Prince Hall is a traditionally African American branch of freemasonry named after a man from the 1700’s who had to personally ask the King of England for permission to join the Freemasons.

 

Today, the person who oversees Prince Hall Grand Lodges in Washington State is Julius W. Brown. Julius’s formal title is very fancy: The Most Worshipful Grand Master.

 

Julius wanted to join the order when he was 21 years old. He asked his father, who was a member, for permission. His dad said, ‘no.’

 

“My father said I wasn’t ready,” says Julius. “He knew I was not married. I had two children by my now wife. He didn’t agree with my lifestyle.”

 

Julius made significant changes in his life and eventually was allowed to become a Freemason. Julius  talks with Sound Effect Host, Gabriel Spitzer, about how being a Freemason has grounded him and made him a better man.

 

Jennifer Wing is a former KNKX reporter and producer who worked on the show Sound Effect and Transmission podcast.
Sound Effect producer Allie Ferguson has been making radio for nearly 5 years. She got her start at KUOW and has since traveled the country working for national news shows including WNYC's The Takeaway and NPR's Weekend All Things Considered. Allie won a 2016 Gracie Award, which celebrates women in media, for her work at KUOW. She enjoys telling surprising stories about passionate people.