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Prince Hall Masonic Lodge

The Prince Hall Masonic Lodge #17 was first founded in Redlands but moved to San Bernardino in the 1920s. Early members helped build the social, economic, and political foundation of San Bernardino’s Black community, including founding the San Bernardino NAACP. Under the leadership of W.S. Johnson and John Lee, they formed the Westside Masonic Building Association in the 1920s to construct a large two-story brick building at the corner of 8th and Perris, which became a social, economic and political center of the community. W.S. Johnson described the building as “a dream of ours for years” and explained that the building was needed “for social affairs for our young people, for entertainments and meetings which are not religious and therefore hardly proper in our churches.” The Masons and later American Legion Post 710 met in the Masonic building, as did the Negro Welfare League which hosted Mary Bethune McCleod, founder of NCNW, in 1938. Early businesses in the complex included the Harlem Café, a pool hall, a real estate agent, and Golden State Mutual Insurance. Prince Hall Masonic Lodge has remained active in San Bernardino, raising money for scholarships, supporting civil rights, hosting Black history celebrations, and building community.

1920

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