Research Catalog

Title

Harry A. Williamson papers, 1831-1965.

Author

Williamson, Harry A. (Harry Albro), 1875-1965.

Supplementary Content

Finding aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Aasland, Julius O.
• Abadu-Bentsi, D. K.
• Cooper, Aldradge B.
• Davis, Harry E.
• Lyons, Maritcha Rémond, 1848-1929.
• Parker, David W.
• Schomburg, Arthur Alfonso, 1874-1938.
• Sherwood, Jose Henry.
• Tatsch, J. Hugo (Jacob Hugo), 1888-
• Voorhis, Harold Van Buren, 1894-

Description

16.2 lin. ft.

Summary

Personal and family papers including correspondence, biographical and genealogical documents, writings, and other material, relating to Williamson's family and life. Family members represented include George Lyons Sr., Albro Lyons Sr., Mary Lyons, Maritcha Remond Lyons, Mary Elizabeth Pauline (Lyons) Williamson, and Albro Lyons, Jr. Topics covered include the lives of blacks in New York City, Providence, R.I. and in California where Williamson grew up; his employment with the United States Postal service; and discrimination in various places, including the Brooklyn and Providence school systems in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Subjects

• African American freemasonry > New York (State)
• Davis, Harry E
• Providence (R.I.) > Social life and customs
• African Americans > Families
• African Americans > Study and teaching
• Lyons, Maritcha Rémond, 1848-1929
• Sherwood, Jose Henry
• Williamson family
• Aasland, Julius O
• Providence (R.I.) > Social conditions
• Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) > Social conditions
• African Americans > New York (State) > Societies, etc
• Freedmen > United States
• Williamson, Harry A (Harry Albro), 1875-1965
• California > Social life and customs
• Lyons, George
• Lyons family
• African American teachers > New York (State) > New York
• Postal service > Employees
• African Americans > Rhode Island > Providence
• Tatsch, J. Hugo (Jacob Hugo), 1888-
• Discrimination in education > Rhode Island > Providence
• African Americans > New York (State) > New York
• Discrimination against African Americans
• Williamson, Blanche C. Atkins, d. 1960
• Order of the Eastern Star
• Freemasons > Prince Hall Grand Lodge (N.Y.)
• Discrimination in education > New York (State) > New York
• Voorhis, Harold Van Buren, 1894-
• Cooper, Aldradge B
• African Americans > Civil rights
• African American freemasons > New York (State)
• Schomburg, Arthur Alfonso, 1874-1938
• African Americans > California
• African American women > New York (State) > Societies, etc
• African American seamen
• Williamson, Mary Elizabeth Pauline Lyons
• Parker, David W
• Abadu-Bentsi, D. K

Note

• Sc MG 52
• Plaques, Masonic apron and medals transferred to Art and Artifacts Division.
• Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.

Access (note)

• Researchers are restricted to microfilm copy.

Source (note)

• Williamson, Harry A.

Biography (note)

• Harry A. Williamson was a member of the M. W. Prince Hall Masons. During his lifetime, he held more elected and appointed positions in the Grand Lodge of New York (Prince Hall) than any other member in its history. He was deputy Grandmaster, Grand Lecturer, and Grand Historian, as well as the Grand Secretary for over thirty years. Williamson became a student of Masonry and its literature, and embarked on an intensive search for information to document the "legitimacy" and "subsequent progress" of African Americans in Freemasonry.

Publications (note)

• Luchetti, Cathy. "Women of the West," chapter entitled "Pauline Lyons Williamson," pp. 115-121. Orion Books, 1982.

Processing Action (note)

• Surveyed
• Processed
• Cataloging updated

Call Number

Sc Micro R-3984

OCLC

NYPW89-A235

Author

Williamson, Harry A. (Harry Albro), 1875-1965.

Title

Harry A. Williamson papers, 1831-1965.

Access

Researchers are restricted to microfilm copy.

Biography

Harry A. Williamson was a member of the M. W. Prince Hall Masons. During his lifetime, he held more elected and appointed positions in the Grand Lodge of New York (Prince Hall) than any other member in its history. He was deputy Grandmaster, Grand Lecturer, and Grand Historian, as well as the Grand Secretary for over thirty years. Williamson became a student of Masonry and its literature, and embarked on an intensive search for information to document the "legitimacy" and "subsequent progress" of African Americans in Freemasonry.

A prolific writer on the subject of Freemasonry, Williamson 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 Freemasonry published in Brooklyn, New York and was an associate editor of the Masonic Quarterly Review, which was the official publication of the Grand Lodge. He was also a contributing editor for 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.

Publications

Luchetti, Cathy. "Women of the West," chapter entitled "Pauline Lyons Williamson," pp. 115-121. Orion Books, 1982.

Connect to:

NYPL Digital Collections

Finding aid

Added Author

Aasland, Julius O.

Abadu-Bentsi, D. K.

Cooper, Aldradge B.

Davis, Harry E.

Lyons, Maritcha Rémond, 1848-1929.

Parker, David W.

Schomburg, Arthur Alfonso, 1874-1938.

Sherwood, Jose Henry.

Tatsch, J. Hugo (Jacob Hugo), 1888-

Voorhis, Harold Van Buren, 1894-

LCCN

ms 82001365

Research Call Number

Sc Micro R-3984