The Honorable Justin A. Petty was installed as the Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge last Saturday (Feb. 3) at William E. Reed Auditorium in Dorchester. The Masonic lodge is the oldest Black organization of its kind in the United States, dating back to 1775, when Prince Hall and 14 men of color were installed as masons in a lodge that was mainly composed of British soldiers stationed in Boston.

Petty, who is the 74th Grand Master, is a native of the US Virgin Islands and a longtime professor and department chair of Broadcast Media Technology at Roxbury Community College. He also is the co-founder of the steel band group Pan Loco, which performs through New England.