Williamson, Harry A. Papers

1831-1965

Henry Albro Williamson, known as Harry, was born on October 25, 1875 in Plainfield, New Jersey to William Edward and Mary Elizabeth Pauline Williamson. His father was a carpenter by trade; his mother did needlework and later entered the field of nursing. After his father's untimely death in 1880, his mother moved to Oakland, California with Harry to start life anew. There Mrs. Williamson became a practical nurse, a unique occupation at that time in California for a black woman.

Upon reaching adulthood, Williamson went into the paper manufacturing business for a number of years. He also tried his hand at other occupations, and eventually studied and passed the examinations for both the New York Board of Chiropody and the United States Postal Service. He worked at both occupations, finally giving up chiropody. He remained with the Postal Service until his retirement in 1940.

Williamson married his first wife, Laura Julia Moulton, in 1901. They were divorced several years later. His second marriage to Blanche C. Atkins in 1920 lasted for forty years until her death in 1960. Williamson credited Blanche for much of the research, compilation and maintenance of his Masonic records.

In 1904 Williamson joined the brotherhood of Freemasonry, and was initiated, passed and raised in Mount Olive Lodge in Manhattan. It was also at time that he became a diligent student of Masonry and its literature, and embarked on an intensive search for information which would document the "legitimacy" and "subsequent progress" of the American Negro in Freemasonry.

A member in later years of the Grand Lodge of New York (Prince Hall), Williamson held more elected and appointed positions in the Grand Lodge than any other member in its history. Additionally, he served as deputy Grandmaster of Prince Hall Grand Lodge (New York), as well as Grand Lecturer and Grand Historian. He was also Grand Secretary for over thirty years.

Williamson was a prolific writer on the subject of Freemasonry. He published several articles and monographs, among them, Negroes and Freemasonry (1920), The Negro in Masonic Literature (1922), and The Prince Hall Primer (1925). He was editor of the Freemasonry of Brooklyn, New York and an associate editor of the Masonic Quarterly Review which was the official publication of the Grand Lodge. He was also contributing editor of The National Fraternal Review. During his Masonic career, Williamson was an honorary member of numerous lodges; a member of six American and foreign societies and a frequent contributor to black and Caucasian periodicals. Williamson died on January 3, 1965, having been an invalid for several years.