A wove paper illustrated and engraved Masonic certificate for Joseph E. Capers, signed by Arturo Schomburg, 1919.
Depicted in highly detailed linework across the bulk of this document, is a super elaborate and ritualistic Freemasons certificate, presented to Joseph E. Capers upon his elevation to Master Mason. At the top is the iconic Egyptian Masonic All-Seeing-Eye, or Eye-of-Rah, the Freemasonic ‘G’ beneath the eye, flanked on either side by Sphinx. The structure drawn has inscriptions that read: [THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE / OF / THE MOST ANCIENT & HONORABLE FRATERNITY / OF / FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS / OF THE / STATE OF NEW YORK / By these present testify and declare to all / whom it may concern that our Brother / [signed] Joseph E. Capers / who has signed his name in the margin hereof is / a Master Mason of regular standing in / … Lodge No 3 We do therefore / recommend that he be received and acknowledged / as such by all free and accepted Freemasons / wheresoever dispersed / In testimony whereof we have caused / the signatures of our Grand Master and our / Grand … and the seal of this Grand / Lodge to be hereunto affixed at / this 5th day of March A.L. 1919 A.D. 1919 / [signed] David W. Parker (Master) / [signed] A. Schomburg].
At the bottom of the certificate is: [This Certificate was delivered to Brother [signed] Joseph E. Capers] on the 17th day of March AL 1919 AD 5919 / By [signed] William H. Hill “acting” Worshipful Master of Corner Stone Lodge No 37 in N. Y. City / Attest: [signed] Joseph W. Albright Secretary].
On the reverse of the certificate are various inscriptions.
| Date | March 5, 1919 |
| Created by | Most Worshipful Stringer Grand Lodge of Freemasons, Prince Hall Affiliation, founded 1873 |
| Subject of | Joseph E. Capers, American |
| Signed by | Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Puerto Rican, 1874 - 1938 |
| Medium | ink on wove paper |
| Dimensions | H x W: 8 7/16 × 13 5/8 in. (21.5 × 34.6 cm) |
| Credit Line | Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center |
| Object number | 2020.26.26 |
Where this page came from
This page was imported from Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Released by the Smithsonian Institution under CC0 through Smithsonian Open Access.
Nobody has written it yet — it is the source material at a new address, which is why search engines are asked to skip it and why no one earns from it. It is up for grabs: take it on, and it is yours to rewrite and to earn from.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from nmaahc.si.edu
1
0
0
0
Comments
