Defense Fund Thanks Prince Hall Masons
Press Release
May 29, 1965

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Press Releases, Volume 2. Defense Fund Thanks Prince Hall Masons, 1965. dcb393fe-b592-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/d5a02d65-4a0a-497f-9481-f48d3157e2fa/defense-fund-thanks-prince-hall-masons. Accessed July 10, 2025.
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10 Columbus Circle New York, N.Y. 10019 14 JUdson 6-8397 : NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund PRESS RELEASE***" y President t if "Dr. Ailsa Kiiight Chalmers FOR RELEASE : Director ol Saturday, Jac eenberg May 29, 1965 ° DEFENSE FUND THANKS PRINCE HALL MASONS $8 s G o a s r e e sa u PHILADELPHIA, PA.---The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational 9 announced the presentation of the "Thurgood Marshal] Award" toy the Grand Masters of the Prince Hall Masons of America for~financ 31 contributions mounting to over $300,000 during’ the past fourteen years. 4 : The award was created especially to recognize the sustaining support Bana from the Masons. ‘ Speaking before the Conference of Grand Masters, Dr. John Ww. Davis, Sppetal Director, Teacher Information and’ ‘Security, sald: "No organization can take away from the Masons the prestige an honor which rightly belong to Masons for these Years of conetiuc tive cooperation. "We pledge," Dr. Davis continued, "with your continuing assistance, our best efforts to bring into being’a society based upon equal justice under law for black and white alike." Fe: The award was named in honor of Judge Thurgood Matsha11, U. ies Court of Appeals, and former Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund. ’ During his address to Grand Masters from all over the United States and foreign countries, Dr. Davis, a 32 degree Mason himself, spoke proudly of Prince Hall, the founder of the order, as the "Pioneer of Protest". In referring to the "platform of our founder and leader who x F ) before Appomattox", Dr. Davis emphasized the close ceation pees Prince Hall's fight against racial inequality and the Masons’ continuing struggle for racial justice. (more) Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 Riverside 9-8487 coe R R Defense Fund Thanks a2ahe May 29, 1965 Prince Hall Masons ig gpa = In a surprise visit to the conference, NAACP Legal Defense Fund director-counsel Jack Greenberg was greeted by a standing Byation. At the close of his remarks, again, the Grand Masters rose to their feet. Mr. Greenberg concluded by telling the group: "We can only rejoice when virtue is not merely its own reward, but the reward for each and every one of us, and the country as a whole. » The Conference of Grand Masters was planned by Amos T. Hall, Oklahoma; Executive Secretary, Samuel T. Daniels, Maryland; Conference Chairman and Grand Masters John G, Lewis, Louisiana; Henry G, Fort, Illinois; Clement F, Isaacs, Massachusetts, ; Chalmer L. Lawson, Minnesota and Walter C. Taylor, California. =d0e