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Behind the Cover of the Prince Hall, Then and Now Issue Issue

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Meet the Nzilani Glass Conservation in Oakland, the artists behind the cover image of the Prince Hall, Then and Now issue of California Freemason magazine.

Meet the Builders of California’s Newest Masonic Lodges

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A spate of new Masonic lodges have gone up across the state in recent years. What they are building is reshaping the landscape of California Masonry.

At La France No. 885, a Lodge of Bon Vivants

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At La France No. 885, a longstanding legacy of French Freemasonry in California is being carried into the future.

In Prince Hall, Many Masonic Bodies, All Under One Banner

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From the Eastern Star to the Prince Hall Shrine, exploring the many appendant bodies of Prince Hall Masonry in California.

The Heroes of Masonry: They Wear Aprons, Not Capes

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Celebrating the best and brightest of Freemasonry in California.

The Exemplars: Meet the 2024 California Masons of the Year

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Dennis Caoile and Henry Dosdorian, the 2024 Masons of the Year, demonstrate that the common denominator of Freemasonry is service to others.

Stephen Doan: The Mastermind

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In a capstone to a remarkable life and career in Freemasonry, R. Stephen Doan is the 2024 Recipient of the Grand Master’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Masons of California at 175: State of Evolution

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For 175 Years, the Grand Lodge of California has left its mark on the state.

A Timeline of 175 Years of California Masonic History

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Since its founding in 1850, California Masonry has had a profound influence on the state we call home.

Lodge Profile: History in the Making at Sonora No. 887

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In Sonora, a historic lodge gets a facelift—and a new call group to call it home.

At the International Conference on Freemasonry, Goats!

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The International Conference on Freemasonry shines a light on some strange fraternal pop cultural phenomena—including lodge goats!

After the L.A. Fires, a Massive Masonic Relief Effort

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As the Los Angeles fires upended countless lives, California Masons rallied into action to offer Masonic relief, supplies, and support.

For Building Social Capital, There’s No Place Like Lodge

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Groups like the Masons offer a way to strengthen community, combat loneliness, fight polarization, and maybe even save democracy.

In ‘Join or Die,’ a Powerful Case for Group Think

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The new documentary Join or Die revisits a seminal text of contemporary social theory—and makes a powerful case for connection.

At a Masonic Funeral, Belonging to the Beyond

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The Masonic funeral rite unites Masons and their loved ones in a shared community of symbolism and fraternity.

What Masonic Menus Tell Us About the Founders of the Feast

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What do 100-year-old Masonic banquet menus tell us about the cultural—and epicurean—history of the fraternity?

A Healing Ceremony for Paradise Masons

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In Paradise, Table Mountain No. 124 is helping a community move forward.

Mapping California’s Lodge Deserts

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Grand Lodge’s New Lodge Development team gives a sneak preview of the areas they’re targeting for growth.

At Oakland No. 61, a Commitment to Outreach

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At Oakland No. 61, a phone-banking effort helped establish the lodge as one of Masonic Outreach Services’ best local partners.

When It Comes to the Masonic Youth Orders, They’re Super Dads

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The 2024 Youth Support Award recipients show that when it comes to the Masonic youth orders, you get more than you give.

For Harold ‘Lefty’ Williams, a Chance to Live His Hoops Dreams

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Meet Harold “Lefty” Robinson, a former Globetrotter bringing his flashy hardwood moves to the Masonic lodge room.

For California Prince Hall’s Aaron Washington, History’s in the Making

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Aaron Washington on learning from the lessons of the past.

Prince Hall’s Robert J. Eagle Spirit Sr. on Giving Back

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Robert J. Eagle Spirit Sr., the next grand master of California Prince Hall Masonry, on supporting the fraternity’s philanthropic mission.

Prince Hall Mason Gary Ransom Blazed Trails in California’s Courts

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Gary Ransom broke barriers for the next generation of African American lawyers.

Your Honor: Judge John Weller Keeps Things on the Level

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Whether on the bench or in lodge, John Weller preaches fairness.

For Prince Hall Mason Trevor Lawrence Jr., the Beat Goes On

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Drummer Trevor Lawrence Jr. puts Masonry squarely in the spotlight.

California’s Masonic Lodge Neighbors Are Better Together

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Across the state, California Masons are reaching out across lodge lines.

California Prince Hall Masonry: A State of Belonging

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Founded in the 1850s and still active today, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California is building on a proud history.

Paying Homage to a Masonic Hero at Rizal No. 882

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At Gat Rizal No. 882 in Menifee, California, a Masonic lodge takes its name—and inspiration—from a national hero of the Philippines.

At Oakland No. 61, Something Old Meets Something New

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At Oakland No. 61, two historic East Bay groups dating from the 1800s are teaming up to form a new kind of Masonic lodge.

At Logos No. 861, a Culture of Craftsmanship

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At Logos No. 861 in San Francisco, handmade, lovingly crafted material culture is part of the very fabric of the lodge.

Unforgettable: The Masonic Connection to the Forget-Me-Not

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The forget-me-not is a Masonic symbol of brotherhood, sacrifice, and remembrance.

At the Chinese Acacia Club, a Cultural Legacy Lives On

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For 77 years, the Chinese Acacia Club has created a space for Chinese American Masons, a historically underrepresented group.

The Indian Masonic Degree Team Is a Band of Brothers

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How a Native American Masonic degree team forges bonds across cultures—and keeps a heritage alive.

Centennial Salute: A Masonic Boom, 100 Years Later

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How a century-old Masonic lodge boom is still reverberating today.

Haggis and Harmony at a Masonic Burns Supper

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“Most people treat it like a dare,” says the organizer of an elaborate Masonic tribute to Robbie Burns, the poet laureate of the lodge.