Freemasonry is the leading fraternal organization in the world. Its origins were lost in the unrecorded history of medieval times, but it was formally organized in London, England, in 1717. Current worldwide membership totals over 3 million Freemasons, 1.1 million of whom are in North America. With 75,000 Masons and 450 local Lodges, Ohio has one of the largest Masonic memberships of any state in the country.

As a fraternal organization, Freemasonry unites men, and women in some countries outside of the United States, of good character who, though of different religious, ethnic, or social backgrounds, share a belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of mankind by providing a system of morals, illustrated by symbols that are veiled in allegory.

Many of the most influential men in history, including several United States Founding Fathers, have belonged to the fraternity of Freemasons.

Some of the famous members include:

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mark Twain, Booker T. Washington, Henry Ford, Winston Churchill, J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Pryor, The Reverend Jesse Jackson, Buzz Aldrin, Shaquille O'Neal, Harry S. Truman, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, John Wayne, Alexander Pushkin, and David Crockett.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org