Famous Freemasons

A list of famous and celebrity Freemasons.

Freemasons come from all backgrounds, all belief systems, and all walks of life. So it’s no surprise that the list of famous Freemasons is very long—and varied. It includes everyone from actors and celebrities to artists and politicians. Let’s meet a few.

Celebrity Freemasons Throughout History

Here are a few famous Freemasons whose names you might recognize.

Founding fathers like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Aaron Burr, and other leaders of the American Revolution.Other U.S. presidents including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Gerald Ford.Civil rights activists like Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Marshall, and Medger Evers.Explorers like Davy Crockett, Lewis and Clark, Charles Lindbergh, and Edwin “Buzz” AldrinScientists like Edward Jenner, Joseph Lister, and Nobel Prize-winner Alexander Fleming.Musicians including J.S. Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and William “Count” Basie.Writers including Jonathon Swift, Oscar Wilde, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mark Twain.Athletes including “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, John Elway, and Scottie Pippin.Entertainers and actors including John Wayne, Harry Houdini, and Richard Pryor.Entrepreneurs and business leaders including Charles Hilton, Colonel Harland Sanders, Walter Chrysler, J. C. Penny, Dave Thomas, Forrest Bird, and Chuck Williams (founder of Williams-Sonoma).

List of Famous “33rd-degree” Masons

The 33rd degree of Freemasonry is an honorary degree awarded by the Scottish Rite, an appendant Masonic order that typically bestows the fourth through 32nd degrees. In order to receive the degrees of the Scottish Rite, you must first receive the first three “craft” degrees of Freemasonry. The degree has earned celebrity status partly thanks to its sensationalized role in Dan Brown’s 2009 bestseller The Lost Symbol. In real life, it celebrates a Mason’s outstanding commitments to the fraternity.

In the U.S., about 100 Masons are awarded the 33rd degree each year. Throughout history, some well-known recipients include:

President Harry TrumanFBI director Edgar HooverMichigan Supreme Court Justice George E. BushnellBusinessman Henry FordGolfer Arnold PalmerAstronaut John Glenn Jr.South American liberator and political leader Simón BolívarCivil rights activist Medgar EversRoots author and Malcolm X biographer Alex Haley

It’s worth noting: While the 33rd degree is an immense honor, it’s not considered any higher in rank than the third degree of Master Mason.

Further Reading

The post Famous Freemasons appeared first on Masons of California.