Prince Hall Freemasonry exists because of the refusal of early American lodges to admit African Americans. In 1775, an African American named Prince Hall, along with 14 other African-American men, was initiated into a British military lodge with a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland, having failed to obtain admission from the other lodges in Boston. When the British military Lodge left North America after the end of the Revolution, those 15 men were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, but not to initiate Masons. In 1784, these individuals obtained a Warrant from the Premier Grand Lodge of England (GLE) and formed African Lodge, Number 459. When the UGLE was formed in 1813, all U.S.-based Lodges were stricken from their rolls – due largely to the War of 1812. Thus, separated from both UGLE and any concordantly recognised U.S. Grand Lodge, African Lodge re-titled itself as the African Lodge, Number 1 – and became a de facto “Grand Lodge” (this Lodge is not to be confused with the various Grand Lodges on the Continent of Africa). As with the rest of U.S. Freemasonry, Prince Hall Freemasonry soon grew and organised on a Grand Lodge system for each state.
Widespread racial segregation in 19th- and early 20th-century North America made it difficult for African Americans to join Lodges outside of Prince Hall jurisdictions – and impossible for inter-jurisdiction recognition between the parallel U.S. Masonic authorities. By the 1980s, such discrimination was a thing of the past. Today most U.S. Grand Lodges recognise their Prince Hall counterparts, and the authorities of both traditions are working towards full recognition. The United Grand Lodge of England has no problem with recognising Prince Hall Grand Lodges. While celebrating their heritage as lodges of black Americans, Prince Hall is open to all men regardless of race or religion.
(the source/read more: Wikipedia)
REGULARITY OF PRINCE HALL MASONRY
© by Michigan Masonic Museum and Library. We recommend to visit its YouTube channel.
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external links:
- Conference of Grand Masters Prince Hall Masons, Inc.– an umbrella group for Prince Hall affiliated Grand Lodges and Grand Chapters of the Eastern Star.
- Prince Hall Freemasonry
- A directory of Prince Hall Affiliated Grand Lodges
- Prince Hall Revisited by Tony Pope, editor of the Australian & New Zealand Masonic Research Council’s publications.
- The Black Heritage Trail The George Middleton House Boston African-American National Historic Site
- Museum of Afro-American History website George Middleton house and has photo of Bucks of America flag-for reference only}
- Famous Prince Hall Freemasons
