WM JOHN K. PORTER
Email: jkporter9@verizon.net
ELECTED OFFICERS
SENIOR WARDEN
Reuben Turner
JUNIOR WARDEN
TREASURER
PM Dennis G. Frazier
SECRETARY
PM Adolphus T. Hawkes
WARRANTED & CHARTERED
December 27, 1926
MEETING DATE & TIME
2nd Wednesday of each Month at 7:30 pm
ABOUT FIDELITY LODGE NO. 20
Fidelity Lodge #20 came into being as a realization of a dream by W. Braxton Wall. During February 1926, Brother Wall met an old friend, Dewitt F. Drew. In the course of their conversation, he mentioned that he was thinking of organizing a club which he hoped would eventually form into a Masonic lodge. On March 1, 1926, a meeting was held for the purpose of organizing Fidelity Club. Five persons were at the meeting.
On April 19, 1926, The Most Worshipful Grand Master Charles P. Ford, for the jurisdiction visited the club and gave them words of encouragement. After he left the meeting, it was decided to petition the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge for a Dispensation to form Fidelity Lodge. On May 17, 1926, a petition was submitted to the Most Worshipful Grand Master. A Grand Lodge committee visited the next Fidelity Club meeting and returned to the Grand Lodge with favorable recommendations. A Dispensation was granted and Fidelity Club became Fidelity Lodge, U.D. (Under Dispensation). From a small group, the membership began to grow. In December, 1926, a warrant was granted to form Fidelity Lodge #20, F&A.M. Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA).
The Lodge continued under Dispensation until February 9, 1927, when it was duly dedicated as Fidelity Lodge #20, F.&A.M., under the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. The first officers of the lodge as named in the warrant were: Worshipful Master W. Braxton Wall, Senior Warden Dewitt F. Drew, Junior Warden McKinley Powell.
Most Worshipful Past Grand Master Willie H. Griffin was the first member of Fidelity Lodge #20, to lead all Prince Hall Masons and its auxiliaries of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia as the Most Worshipful Grand Master. He was elected during the Grand Lodge Session in December, 1998.
From the time of its founding, Fidelity Lodge #20 had to struggle to survive. On more than one occasion, Fidelity would have had to give up its charter had it not been for some dedicated members who dug into their pockets and with their meager funds paid the assessment to the Grand Lodge. It was only through the Grace of God and the leadership of strong dedicated men that Fidelity Lodge #20, survived and grew into the fine organization it is today.