National Fraternal Review [Vol. V, No. 1, July 1927].

Mount Morris, Ill. Publication Office, 1927. 11½” x 8¼”. Self-wrappers. Pp. 16. Very good: one small ding and one tiny pinhole throughout, affecting about five characters of text; small corner chip to front wrap; a bit of edge wear.

This is an issue of an African American Masonic journal. Its masthead conveyed that it was [i]“dedicated to Prince Hall and Freemasonry; devoted to the merits of colored fraternities,”[/i] and stated:

[i]“Our aim: To give to earnest readers a meritorious fraternal review and a digest of the important development of world progress.

Our policy: At war with none, no schemes to boost, no axes to grind, no interest but yours and the Fraternity to supply.”[/i]

The journal was published in Illinois and most of its content relates to organizations and businesses near Chicago, but also includes news and/or advertisements from New York, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Two pages are dedicated to news of women's branches of Prince Hall Freemasonry, the Eastern Stars and Heroines of Jericho. One article has great panoramic shots showing the dedication of the new Masonic home for the aged at Rock Island, Illinois, along with individual portraits of the men and women who led the initiative for the home. There are also several illustrated advertisements for businesses presumably run by Black Masons. One of these is for the short-lived Dailey Hospital and Sanitarium, with an image of the two houses purchased in 1926 and converted into medical facilities by the important Black Chicago surgeon, Ulysses Grant Dailey. While the majority of the content is fraternity-specific, this issue also contains an homage to Charles Lindbergh, suggesting that [i]“the fathers and mothers of the children of our race can do much toward developing 'Lindberghs' with black skins if they will teach their children to put their 'very best' into anything they may undertake.”[/i]

A rare and well illustrated journal documenting the activity of numerous chapters of various African American Masonic organizations. OCLC shows one holding, an earlier issue at Tulane, and a Google search revealed one other, a later issue at the Chicago Public Library. Very good. Item #7171

Price: $1,250.00