One of the first comic actors of the silver screen, Oliver Hardy, known familiarly as Ollie or Babe, established a comedic legacy that reverberates to this day. Best known as one half of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, he appeared in 107 films, exhibiting the tireless work ethic Freemasons are well
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Brother Ben Franklin: A Freemason for the Ages
Boston-born Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) established what became a successful printing business in Philadelphia as a young man. From an early age, Franklin developed and followed a philosophy of continual self-improvement. He also practiced this ideal in his community, helping found and improve organizations that contributed to individual and public good,
Brother Voltaire
You may know Voltaire as a leading philosopher and writer of the Enlightenment period, but what many may not know is that he was initiated into Freemasonry just a month before his death in 1778. While his time as a Freemason was short, Voltaire’s lifelong legacy of rebelling against intolerance
Green Dragon Tavern’s Legacy
As we look forward to Patriots’ Day here at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, our minds turn to objects in our collection related to the American Revolution. Among these is the dramatic sculpture pictured here. This sculpture is a reproduction of a tavern sign that once hung over Boston’s
History of the Masonic Handshake
The teachings of Freemasonry are built upon symbols and ethical lessons derived from the medieval stonemasons, each intended to endow Brothers with the knowledge to help them become better men. With centuries of practicing Masonic tradition, it is perhaps unavoidable that certain facets of Masonic ritual have leaked into public
Masonic Mourning: Art & Gravestones
Men form unbreakable bonds through Freemasonry. Our Brotherhood is comprised of a tight-knit group of men who have made solemn vows to one another, becoming friends and Brothers in Masonry and beyond, committed to supporting each other in the good times and bad. Being a Mason is a lifelong journey
Most Worshipful Brother Paul Revere
In 1860, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned his famous “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” forever cementing Revere’s status as one of America’s original and most significant patriots. Paul Revere lived a particularly storied life — he was a silversmith, an entrepreneur, a militiaman, Freemason, and a family man. His life
Most Worshipful Brother Franklin D. Roosevelt
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president of the United States of America in 1932, the country faced unprecedented economic, diplomatic, and social challenges. That he was elected four times – the longest tenure of any president before or after – at this most turbulent time in American history speaks to his
Thurgood Marshall: Man & Mason
In November 2022, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library unveiled five new inductees to “The Masonic Hall of Fame: Extraordinary Freemasons in American History” – an exhibition that highlights Masons who, through their outsized contributions to Freemasonry, government, the arts, and other pursuits, made a profound impact on their world and
The Mayo Family
William W. Mayo was born on May 31, 1819, in Eccles, Lancashire, England. He studied science in Manchester under the famous chemist and physicist John Dalton, who formulated the modern atomic theory. William came to the United States in 1846, first working as a pharmacist at Bellevue Hospital in New York