Prince Hall Memorial

Prince Hall Memorial. .

He represented those who had no voice, position or power. He exemplified those principles on which this nation was founded. , Proclamation of the City of Cambridge, 2008

, The five black panels are a monument to Prince Hall, and to thousands of African American revolutionary patriots who helped lay the foundation for this nation., I must love all, for He made all, and upholds all… let them be of what colour or nation they may, yea even our very enemies… , 1792. , I shall begin with our friends and brethren; and first, let us see them dragg'd from their native country by the iron hand of tyranny and oppression, from their dear friends and connections, with weeping eyes and aching hearts, to a strange land and strange people, whose tender mercies are cruel; and there to bear the iron yoke of slavery and cruelty till death as a friend shall relieve them. , 1791. , Your Honors need not to be informed that a Life of Slavery, like that of your petitioners, deprived of every social privilege of every thing requisite to render Life even tolerable, is far worse than non-existence. , Petition by Prince Hall and six others to the Massachusetts State Legislature, 1777. , As we are willing to pay our equal part of these burdens, we … have the right to enjoy the privileges of freemen… and… the education of our children. , Petition to the Massachusetts State Legislature, 1787. , Now my brethren, as we see and experience that all things here are frail and changeable and nothing here to be depended upon: Let us seek those things … which are sure, and steadfast, and unchangeable.... Patience, I say, for were we not possess'd of a great measure of it you could not bear up under the daily insults you meet with in the streets of Boston , 1797. , Sure this was not our conduct in the late war; for then they marched shoulder to shoulder, brother soldier and brother soldier to the field of battle. , 1792. , The words of , Prince Hall , 1730s - 1807 , Abolitionist , Patriot , Entrepreneur , Founder of the first African American Lodge of Freemasons. , …give the right hand of affection and fellowship to whom it justly belongs; let their colour or complexion be what it will, let their nation be what it may, for they are your brethren and it is your indispensable duty so to do… , 1797. , … he fact despises a black man for the gift of his colour repproacheth by Maker… , 1792. , Again we must be good subjects of the land in which we dwell, given to our lawful Governors and Man giving honor to whom honored… , 1792. , Although you are deprived of the means of education, yet you are not deprived of the means of meditation in which I mean thinking, hearing and weighing matters, men, and things in which your own mind… , 1797. , My brethren, let us not be cast down under these and many other abuses we at present labour under; for the darkest is before the break of day. , 1797. , …he should lend his helping hand to a brother in distress, and relieve him. Good advice may be sometimes better than feeding his body, helping him to some lawful employment, better than giving him money; so defending his case and standing by him when wrongfully accused, may be better than when on fire, than to give him one. , 1792. , …all men are free and are brethren. , 1797.