He looked across the room at the face of each one his classmates.He studied each of them carefully.  It was time to act and each had to be up to the task. Outside of the cool, the Birmingham police were awaiting. The principal had already directed the school's custodian to lock the doors to prevent the students form leaving. No, each of the students was waiting...waiting for him to tell them what to do. It was time to answer the call.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Civil Rights Activist Dick Gregory, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson had all vowed to fill the jails of Birmingham to protest the policy of racial segregation.

The time was 1963. The place...Fairfield, Alabama, a city on the outskirts of Birmingham. The purpose...to raise the conscience of the nation...Elmer W. Duff was the student at Fairfield Industrial high school. H. Rap Brown and Stokely Carmichael, Leaders of SNCC, had asked the students of the city of Birmingham and the surrounding communities to protest the continuing policies of racial segregation in the south. The students were to leave school and meet on the campus of Miles College. From the they were to march to city of the Birmingham, knowing that along the way they would face police dogs, firemen with hoses, and angry crowds of people determined to hurt them.

Elmer Duff, student leader and activist, played a key role in directing the students to leave school and participate in the boycott which would ultimately lead to the end of inhuman policies of that time. Faced with dogs and possibility of death, he and other student leaders remained strong in their conviction. They lead the students out and marched. They faced the dogs, the threats, the police, and the firemen who could not put out this fire... the Fire of Freedom, this Fire for Human Rights, and this Fire for Dignity.

The students were arrested and spent five days in jail...But their cause did not go unnoticed. In the end they were successful... and this country is a better place because of it.

Married to the former Miss Mildred Hall of Birmingham Alabama, Mr. Elmer Duff has three children: Anthony, Thaddeus and Alycia. Alucia is currently a student at the University of Michigan.

Mr. Elmer has been employed at Chrysler since September of 1964.

In 1992, he was asked by the city of Birmingham to come back to receive the honor due him for the cause which he and others so bravely stood up for...Mr. Elmer Duff. an American Hero. Who just happens to work at McGraw?

In September 1969, Elmer W. Duff joined International F & A.M. Masons and Order of Eastern Stars.

Elmer W. Duff became Worshipful Master over Crispus Attucks Lodge # 51 in 1982, during his term, he and several others brothers were able to maintain two lodge buildings. The first lodge was located in Highland Park on Buena Vista and the second lodge which is currently located on McNichols in Detroit.

Throughout his many years of services Crispus Attucks Lodge# 51 had the reputation of being one of the larger lodges by membership in the International family.

Elmer W. Duff held several positions throughout the Order being Deputy Grand Master for over 10 years, being Grand Master for over 7 years. In addition to those positions in the order he also served as the Midwest Treasurer which he held that position for 17 years, Supreme Tyler and Supreme Junior Warden.

Elmer W. Duff received his 33°, the highest degree in the Masonic Order in 1991 in Plantation Florida. 

In 2004, he steps down from his seat as Grand Master of Michigan to further his endeavors with his local Lodge Crispus Attucks # 51 in the year of 2005.

In honor of Elmer W. Duff we decided to name our Lodge after him who is known as Elmer W. Duff Lodge # 267.

Majority of the members that are on the charter of Elmer Duff Lodge # 267 were initiated, passed and raised by the Ill. Elmer W. Duff 33°.