Brotherhood
Men of every trade and generation meeting on the level — mentors to the young, companions to the old, and accountable to one another.
Prince Hall Freemasonry · Greater New Orleans
Brotherhood Forged in the Crescent City.
District No. 1 of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana unites the lodges of greater New Orleans in brotherly love, relief, and truth — making good men better, and better men of service to the city that raised them.
On the Level · By the Square
“For generations, the Prince Hall Masons of New Orleans have met upon the level and parted upon the square — building men, strengthening families, and serving the neighborhoods that raised us.”
Charity
Relief is a duty, not a slogan. Our lodges feed families, fund scholarships, and stand with widows and orphans across the city.
Legacy
We keep the charge Prince Hall carried: dignity, education, and self-governance — handed down intact to the next Brother raised.
The Legacy
A Light Kindled in 1775, Still Burning on the Mississippi.
When Prince Hall and fourteen free men of color were made Masons in Boston, they began more than a lodge. They began an institution that would carry dignity, education, and mutual aid through every chapter of Black American life — and into the lodge rooms of New Orleans, where the work continues tonight.
Joint Grand Session · June 9–13, 2027
Grand Session Is Coming to New Orleans in 2027.
For the first time in history, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana and Esther Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, PHA, will convene their Annual Grand Sessions together under one roof — at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. District No. 1 is proud to welcome the Jurisdiction home.
—Days
—Hours
—Minutes
—Seconds
On the Trestleboard
Our Jurisdiction
Rooted in the Crescent City.
From the Vieux Carré to the West Bank, our lodges meet in the neighborhoods their members call home.
To Be One, Ask One
The Door Is Open to Men of Good Report.
Masons do not recruit. A man must seek us of his own free will. If you have felt that pull, consider this your invitation to ask.
Explore Membership
Our Story
Heirs to a Light First Kindled in 1775.
The story of District No. 1 is the story of Prince Hall Freemasonry itself — carried south, planted in New Orleans, and tended by every generation since.
The Narrative
Built by Men Who Were Told They Could Not Build.
Freemasonry asked Prince Hall to prove himself worthy. He answered by building a Grand Lodge.
In 1775, Prince Hall — a free man of color, abolitionist, and leader in Boston’s Black community — was initiated with fourteen other men into a lodge attached to a British regiment. Denied a warrant by the colonial Masonic authorities of the day, they appealed directly to the Grand Lodge of England, which in 1784 chartered African Lodge No. 459.
From that single charter grew a family of Grand Lodges that now bears his name across the United States and beyond. Through slavery, Reconstruction, segregation, and the long march for civil rights, Prince Hall lodges were schoolhouses, meeting halls, burial societies, and banks — places where Black men governed themselves with ceremony and consequence.
In Louisiana, that inheritance took root in New Orleans. In 1849, members of St. James A.M.E. Church asked the Rev. Thomas W. Stringer to organize a Masonic lodge, and Richmond Lodge was born. By 1863, joined by Stringer and Parsons lodges, they formed the Grand Lodge of Louisiana — first called Eureka — in Richmond Lodge’s hall. Richmond No. 1 and Thomas W. Stringer No. 3 still meet in District No. 1. Today, the District stands as a working body of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana: lodges that open on time, keep honest books, raise worthy men, and show up for their neighborhoods — from school supply drives to scholarship banquets to the funerals of our Brothers.
Through the Years
A Lineage Unbroken.
- 1775
Made a Mason
Prince Hall and fourteen free men of color are initiated in Boston.
- 1784
A Charter from England
The Grand Lodge of England warrants African Lodge No. 459.
- 1849
Richmond Lodge
Members of St. James A.M.E. Church organize a lodge in New Orleans.
- 1863
A Grand Lodge Is Born
Three New Orleans lodges form the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, first named Eureka.
- 1869
Incorporated
The Grand Lodge is incorporated — the year inscribed on our seal.
- Today
District No. 1
The lodges of greater New Orleans carry the work forward.
To make good men better by uniting the Prince Hall lodges of District No. 1 in the practice of brotherly love, relief, and truth — and to strengthen the families, neighborhoods, and institutions of greater New Orleans through principled service.
A District in which every lodge is a pillar of its community — well-governed, well-attended, and known throughout New Orleans for the integrity of its accounts, the depth of its charity, and the character of the men it raises.
Z
What Guides Us
Three Tenets. One Standard.
Brotherly Love
We regard every Brother as a member of one family, and act like it.
Relief
We answer distress — in our lodges, our homes, and our streets.
Truth
We pursue honesty in word and deed as the foundation of every virtue.
How the District Works
Governed. Accountable. Transparent.
District No. 1 is administered under the authority of the Most Worshipful Grand Master through the District Deputy Grand Master, who supports each constituent lodge in ritual proficiency, sound governance, and timely financial reporting to the Grand Lodge. Our standard is simple: every lodge in good standing, every Brother accounted for.
District Deputy Grand Masters
Those Who Have Led District No. 1.
Appointed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, each District Deputy Grand Master carries the authority of the Grand Lodge to the lodges of greater New Orleans — instructing, inspecting, and uniting them in one standard.
PRESIDING
District Deputy Grand Master
Worshipful Brother
Honor a District Deputy
Help Us Complete the Record.
District officers and families may submit a portrait, years served in the East, and a short biography for any Past District Deputy Grand Master of District No. 1.
Office of the District Deputy
Lodge Reporting.
Lodge officers submit required reports to the District Deputy Grand Master through the forms below. Each opens securely in a new tab.
Lodge Report — Form I -
1614 Basin St.
Complete reporting monthly on behalf of your lodge.
Lodge Report — Form II - District
Complete reporting monthly on behalf of your lodge.
Need to reserve space? Prince Hall Room Rental · Questions about a submission? Contact the District.
Prince Hall Facilities
Prince Hall Room Rental.
Request a room for your lodge, chapter, or event using the form below. It opens securely in a new tab.
Prince Hall Room Rental
Submit your preferred date, time, and purpose. You will be contacted to confirm availability.
Questions about a rental? Contact the District.
Membership
The Door Is Open to Men of Good Report.
Freemasonry cannot be bought, rushed, or inherited. It is asked for, earned, and kept. Here is what the journey requires — and what it gives back.
Is Masonry Right for You?
We Don’t Make Men. We Make Good Men Better.
A Prince Hall Mason is a man who wants more from himself — more discipline, more knowledge, more service — and wants to pursue it alongside Brothers who will hold him to it. You will find mentors, a network that spans generations, and a disciplined framework for moral and civic life. You will be asked to give time, study, and sincerity in return.
Qualifications
- A man of good moral character and sound reputation
- A belief in a Supreme Being
- Of lawful age as set by the Grand Lodge of Louisiana
- Seeking membership of his own free will and accord
- Willing to be recommended by Brothers of the lodge
The Path
From Inquiry to Master Mason.
- 01
Ask
Speak with a Brother you know, or send the inquiry below.
- 02
Petition
Complete a petition to a lodge, recommended by its members.
- 03
Investigation
A committee of Brothers meets you and learns your character.
- 04
Ballot
The lodge votes on your petition in open Communication.
- 05
The Degrees
Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason.
Questions, Answered Plainly
Frequently Asked
Any man of good moral character, of lawful age as set by the Grand Lodge, who believes in a Supreme Being and seeks membership of his own free will and accord.
No. Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being, but it is not a religion and does not replace one. Men of many faiths sit together in lodge.
It is a society with private ceremonies, not a secret one. Our lodges, officers, meetings, and charitable work are public; our rituals and modes of recognition are kept among Brothers.
Time, dues, study, and sincerity. Brothers attend Stated Communications, learn the work of each degree, and take part in the charitable and civic life of their lodge.
It varies by lodge. After a petition is received, a committee meets with you, the lodge ballots, and the three degrees are conferred over the months that follow.
Masons do not recruit. By long tradition, a man must seek us out. This page — and any Brother you know — is your invitation to ask.
Membership Inquiry
Ask. We Will Answer.
Your inquiry is confidential and places you under no obligation. A Brother of District No. 1 will contact you to answer questions and, if you wish, introduce you to a lodge near you.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
Grand Session & Events
One Purpose. One Destiny.
The 2027 Joint Grand Session comes to New Orleans — plus the Communications, feast days, and community service that keep District No. 1 together.
Joint Grand Session · June 9–13, 2027
A Historic Milestone.
For the first time, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Louisiana and Its Jurisdiction and Esther Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, PHA, Louisiana Jurisdiction, will hold their Annual Grand Sessions simultaneously — a landmark of the partnership, unity, and shared commitment of our Masonic and Eastern Star families. Stronger together, for the glory of God and the good of humanity.
—Days
—Hours
—Minutes
—Seconds
Dates
June 9–13, 2027
Registration, the schedule of events, and other Grand Session activities will be distributed as they become available.
Venue
Hyatt Regency New Orleans
601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113 — steps from the Superdome and the Canal Street line.
Hotel
Special Group Rate · $129/night
Reserve through the official Hyatt group-booking link to receive the Grand Session rate.
The Trestleboard · 2026–2027
District Calendar
From the official District No. 1 calendar and the Louisiana Jurisdiction, PHA State Calendar of Events (revised September 25, 2026). Past events drop off automatically. Times and locations may change — confirm with your lodge secretary.
Lodges & Contact
Find Your Lodge. Find Your Brothers.
The constituent lodges of District No. 1 span both banks of the river. Each keeps its own charter, officers, and traditions — and answers to one standard.
Constituent Lodges
The Lodges of District No. 1
Contact the District
Write to the Office of the District Secretary.
A District of the Grand Lodge
Founded in New Orleans in 1863 · Incorporated 1869 · mwphglla.org
For lodge schedules, visiting-Brother inquiries, Grand Session questions, community partnerships, or press, send a note and it will be routed to the proper officer.
- Jurisdiction
- Greater New Orleans, Louisiana
- Grand Lodge
- MWPHGL of Louisiana, F. & A.M.
- Grand Lodge Office
- 1335 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 · (225) 387-0996
- Lodge Secretaries
- Reports due per Grand Lodge calendar
Past Masters Registry
Those Who Have Sat in the East.
Every lodge is shaped by the Brothers who have served as its Worshipful Master. Choose a lodge to honor the men who led it.
NO.
Past Masters
Lodge No.
The Worshipful Masters who have presided in the East of Lodge, F. & A.M.
Select a Lodge
The Constituent Lodges
26 lodges · listed in number order
Honor a Past Master
Help Us Complete the Record.
Lodge Secretaries and families may submit a portrait, years served in the East, and a short biography for any Past Master of Lodge No. .