The Orient of the District of Columbia
Commanders of the Rite
GIG Alexander M. Cotton, President
GIG Jackson Davis, Vice President
SGIG Robert E. Wheeler
Deputy of the Orient
The Commanders of the Rite 33° is not a Masonic degree. Only those persons who hold the thirty-third degree of all grades may affiliate themselves with the Commanders of the Rite in their respective states. Membership is voluntary and not compulsory.
The Commanders of the Rite 33° involves itself in activities serving to promote the Rite. The Commanders of the Rite 33° is responsible for research and preparation of the history and jurisprudence of Masonry.
The Commanders of the Rite 33° is responsible for documentation of the history of Masonic pioneers. The Commanders of the Rite 33° is responsible for compiling a factual history of the impact of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite fraternal order, and Masonry in general in bringing a race from slavery to its present position in American history and society. The work of the Commanders of the Rite 33° is directly under the direction of the Deputy of that State.
History is a record either written or unwritten of experiences, events, ambitions, failures, and successes. History is the interpreting and explaining of actions, consequences, conflicts, compromises, and results of man's endeavors. Like the moving waters of great oceans, seas, and rivers, history never stops; for if history stops, life itself will cease. Standing, non-moving water becomes stagnant. Life should never become stagnant. History is the unfolding of life. History is living and non-living. History is never completed, it continues second by second, hour by hour, year after year from life to non-life and return of life again.
The mere producing of a volume of select writings will not complete the history of true ancient craft Masonry among Black folks or any folks. Every Mason must be a researcher, an investigator, a student constantly aware that every individual Mason is a vital part of the present, past and future history of Masonry.
Let Masons be ever mindful that we record and create now, will be examined, appreciated, approved, disapproved or simply studied by men hundreds of years from today. Let us as men and Masons begin the stupendous task of making sure that written records are prepared of all our involvements.
We are in reality preparing for our posterity and future that history of our involvement in the affairs of the American Nation, and in the days and years to come our heirs will expect some recording, some factual evidence, some compilation of historical data and facts.
We are the parents of our heirs of tomorrow, let as leave them an historical legacy.
The preparation of much of the history for this Bicentennial Journal has been tedious, painstaking, exacting and progressively slow in progress. Many of my efforts to get the job done have been retarded by excusable and inexcusable circumstances. Such is the way mankind, and of the preparation of history. The truth is the most powerful and effective weapon known to strengthen the educational process.
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