Supreme Council of Louisiana

The Supreme Council of Louisiana is a Scottish Rite branch of Freemasonry.

Beginnings
the Supreme Council of Louisiana was founded in New Orleans in 1839 in the aftermath of the Morgan Affair. During this time, the Northern Jurisdiction consisted of John James Joseph Gourgas and Giles Fonda Yates who were "effectively a Supreme Council of two people" and were completely inactive from 1832 to 1843. Likewise, the Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, Moses Holbrook longed to "relinquish his responsibilities as Sovereign Grand Commander" moving to the rural frontier of Florida to serve as a doctor.

It was during this period that the Supreme Council of Louisiana emerged, which claimed its authority via "Cerneauism" – a type of Scottish Rite Masonry without ties to the either the Northern or Southern Jurisdictions. In the 1840s and 1850s, Judge James Foulhouze served as Grand Commander.

Concordant of 1855
As relations improved with the Southern Jurisdiction, Foulhouze resigned “both as Grand Commander and member of this Supreme Council” on July 30, 1853. The Supreme Council of Louisiana determined to close its works and pass out of existence. They created "articles of Concordat & agreement" with the Southern Jurisdiction, and issued a "Preamble & Resolution," prepared during their meeting of November 18, 1854, which stated that it was "Resolved that a Committee of Three be appointed with full power & authority to adopt and accept, in the name of this Consistory, the articles of the agreement or Concordat" by which it would pass under the jurisdiction of Charleston. The committee of three consisted of Charles Laffon de Ladébat, Grand Secretary, Claude P. Samory, Lieutenant Grand Commander and Morel. Extracts from the minutes of the same meeting relate the instances of the Concordat and agreement. Similarly, the Grand Consistory of New Orleans under Charleston's jurisdiction resolved, at their sitting of November 25, 1854, to sign and execute the agreement and Concordat. The Concordat was sent to Charleston on January 31, 1855, and signed on February 6, 1855, by Grand Commander John H. Honour, Lieutenant Grand Commander Charles M. Furman, and Grand Secretary General Albert G. Mackey. It was then taken back to New Orleans, likely by Mackey, and signed there on February 16–17, 1855, by Grand Commander Charles Claiborne, as well as Samory and Laffon de Ladébat. On the same day the Supreme Council at Charleston issued a warrant to “our well-beloved, Princes and Knights” Claiborne, Samory, Laffon de Ladébat, John H. Holland, and others, creating a Grand Consistory of Louisiana, and installing them as officers with all the powers relative thereto.

Later History
However, on October 7, 1856, a year after the Supreme Council of Louisiana had formed its concordat with Charleston, Foulhouze, who had resigned in 1853, Thomas Wharton Collens, who had resigned on December 19, 1853, and J.J.E. Massicott (resigned December 3, 1853), “declared the Sup. Coun. to be still in existence and continued its works.” Foulhouze would be expelled by the Grand Orient of France in 1859 and would leave the Supreme Council of Louisiana completely. After the Civil War, the Grand Orient of France re-recognized the Supreme Council of Louisiana.

New Orleans educator and Civil Rights activist George Longe was the head of this council for more than three decades, from the 1930s until the 1970s. Under his watch the Supreme Council of Louisiana tripled in size and expanded to other states. His papers are held at the Amistad Research Center of Tulane University.

Today
This organization still exists as of 2024. The Most Powerful Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Louisiana is Ill. Bro. Eddie L. Gabriel, Sr. 33°. The Supreme Council has chartered lodges in 11 US states.