George W. Braxdell or Braxdall (July 4, 1839 – March 8, 1891) was an African American barber, judge, and Prince Hall Freemason who served in the Alabama state legislature during the Reconstruction era.[1]
George W. Braxdell | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 4, 1839 Danville, Kentucky |
| Died | March 8, 1891 Talladega, Alabama |
| Known for | Alabama State Representative during Reconstruction and First Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alabama, Prince Hall |
Early life
editBraxdall was born on July 4, 1839 in Danville, Kentucky.[2] At an unknown date, Braxdall moved to Talladega, Alabama and worked as a barber.
Career
editBraxdall was heavily involved in his community and in politics. He became a justice of the peace in Talladega, Alabama on September 4, 1868.[3] He was the first African-American law enforcement officer in Alabama.[2] He served in the Alabama House of Representatives in 1870.[4]
Braxdell was a Prince Hall Freemason, initiated in an unknown lodge in 1875 before later becoming a member of Mt. Moriah Lodge, No. 12.[2] When two independent Grand Lodge of Alabama merged in 1878, Braxdall became the First Grand Master, serving eight terms from 1878 to 1886.[5][6][7]
Later life
editBraxdall died on March 8, 1891 at the age of 51 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Talladega, Alabama.[8]
Legacy
editHe was elected to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Alabama Hall of Fame in 2015.[9]
George W. Braxdall Lodge, No. 28, in Decatur, Alabama, was named after him when the lodge was established in 1903. The Lodge Hall was placed on the Alabama's Places in Peril by the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Owen, Marie Bankhead (December 31, 1954). "The Alabama Historical Quarterly". Alabama State Department of Archives and History. – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c Home, MAXINE BECK, Special to The Daily (2015-07-18). "MAXINE BECK: Remembering George W. Braxdall". The Anniston Star. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Bailey, Richard (December 31, 2010). Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags: Black Officeholders During the Reconstruction of Alabama, 1867-1878. NewSouth Books. ISBN 9781588381897 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Black Members of the Alabama Legislature Who Served During The Reconstruction Period of 1868-1879 Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.
- ^ "Jul 03, 1886, page 3 - Huntsville Gazette at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "PAST MOST WORSHIPFUL GRANDMASTERS". Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Alabama. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "ABOUT US". Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Alabama. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Mar 28, 1891, page 2 - The Appeal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES". Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Alabama. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation and Alabama Historical Commission announce 2018 Places in Peril, July 22, 2018, https://ahc.alabama.gov/placesinperilPDFs/PlacesInPeril(PIP)2018.pdf
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