Black Freemasonry: Origin and History

Black Freemasonry

This is a misnomer. There is actually no strictly black or white Freemasonry. Men of all races are members of Masonic bodies that are predominately one color or the other. Except for off-shoot, or r*negade, bodies calling themselves ”Masonic” there is no color or r*ligious restriction within Freemasonry. This is not to say there are not clandestine organizations of white or black men calling themselves ”Masonic.” One of these in particular, P2 (Propaganda Lodge No. 2 of Italy) received world-wide publicity in the 1980s. Because of its p*litical and questionable activities it had been erased by the legitimate Grand Orient of Italy years before its unlawful actions were reported. These even included close cooperation with the V*tican, the Roman C*tholic State. The media, for the most part, ignored the fact this was a r*negade group.

An attempt will be made to put black and white Freemasonry into perspective. But several questions often asked should be considered. Would there be a separation of the races had officials in the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in the 1770s and 80s accepted the black men who had been initiated into Freemasonry on March 6, 1775? If they had been accepted into the lodges then in the colonies would there have been a separation? What if they had been accepted as separate but equal? These and dozens of other typical questions can be asked and answers attempted. None can be answered with certainty.

There are clues, however. We find even with the full advent of integration in the United States, churches, schools and various organizations readily accepted peoples of other races. This appeared to be acceptable to some, but not to the majority. People still seem to be more comfortable socializing with their own race, ethnic group or r*ligious persuasion. Witness the number of predominately black colleges; witness the number of r*ligious factions, even within the world-wide Roman C*tholic hierarchy.

Separate but equal had been ruled unc*nstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States, and had become the law of the land. Predominately white Freemasonry was not about to give up its perspective; Prince Hall (black) Freemasonry was proud of its heritage and was not about to be absorbed by any other group. Was separate but equal the answer? We will return to this question.

Black Masonry in Perspective.

On March 6, 1775 a man named Prince Hall and 14 other men of color were initiated into Freemasonry. This work was conducted by Sergeant John Batt of the Irish Military Lodge No. 441, attached to the 38th Foot of the British Army. When the 38th Foot left Boston in the colony of Massachusetts three weeks later Batt gave the black Masons a ”Permet.” This allowed them to ”walk on St. John’s Day” and ”to bury their dead in manner and form.” African Lodge No. 1 was born on July 3, 1775. Or was it born? Was it legal? Several examples can be cited of even more dubious formation of lodges during the early 1770s. Here is one:

The Lodge at Fredericksburgh in the colony of Virginia came to light on Sept. 1, 1752 (it is now Fredericksburg No. 4). That was the date of the first minutes that can be found. Strangely, it had a full slate of officers! Where were its officers and members made Masons? When and where did the fellows meet to form themselves into a lodge and choose officers? It would be six years later (1758) before the lodge requested and received a charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland. During the interim it initiated several men into the mysteries of Masonry. On Dec. 22, 1753, five years before it had a charter, several of the members convened a Royal Arch Lodge and conferred the Royal Arch Degree -- the first recorded such conferral anywhere in the world. On Feb. 28, 1768 the lodge granted a warrant for the formation of a lodge at Falmouth; on Oct. 10, 1770 another warrant for Botetourt Lodge (now No. 6) in Gloucester. Interestingly, only one in six initiates received all three degrees. (See The Lodge At Fredericksburgh: A Digest of the Early Records by Ronald E. Heaton and James R. Case.)

Compare this Virginia lodge with what African Lodge in Boston, Mass. did.

The Warrant of 1784:

Prince Hall, Boston Smith, and Thomas Sanderson, evidently aided by friends in England, secured the issuance of a warrant by the Grand Lodge of England (Modern) for African Lodge No. 459, the warrant being dated Sept. 29, 1784, though not received at Boston until April 29, 1787. The warrant is extant and preserved in a vault. Copies will be found in several publications including Mackey’s History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6. It is believed to have been the last lodge to be warranted in the United States by the Modern Grand Lodge of England, although the Ancients established several lodges thereafter.

Literature:

For its historical value, and for those desiring to research the subject, some of the literature concerning black Freemasonry is included here. No attempt is made to comment on the biased, unbiased or legitimacy of the content. Charles W. Moore, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, on July 26, 1845, replying to an inquiry from the Grand Secretary of New York, stated that the former Grand Lodge had no relations with the Negroes, and, on Sept. 22, 1855, Philip C. Tucker, Grand Master of Vermont, investigated the subject and reported to his Grand Lodge that the Negro bodies then existing were irregular. (Both papers appear in Mackey’s History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6. The first written commentary by a black was The National Masonic Union, a History of the Origin of Ancient Freemasonry among the Colored Citizens of the United States of America, 1855, by Rev. Joshua Woodlin of Burlington, N. J., who was Grand Secretary of the colored Grand Lodge of that State and Senior Grand Warden of the National Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of the United States. The classic treatise on the subject, which was accepted as authority by the regular Grand Lodges of the United States, was the report in 1870 by William S. Gardner, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts (Mass. Proc. 1869, 1870) full copies of which appear in Mackey’s History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6. In 1876, that Grand Lodge approved the report that held the Prince Hall bodies clandestine (Mass. Proc. 1876). Then followed New Day—New Duty by John D. Caldwell Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio (Ohio Proc. 1875, Appendix), and The Negro Mason in Equity, 1886, by Samuel W. Clark, Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio. In 1898 William H. Upton, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington, led his Grand Lodge to adopt a resolution permitting Prince Hall Masons to visit its lodges. The protest was stormy. The resolution was rescinded in ’99. Upton wrote Light on a Dark Subject, being a Critical Examination of the Negroes in America later changed to Negro Masons. (Upton was vindicated in 1990; see below.) Then came Official History of Freemasonry among Colored People of North America by William H. Grimshaw in 1903. This ”history” was so loaded with fabrications and distortions black historians in the 1980s did not hesitate to correct them, and often they did not treat Grimshaw kindly.

Among those setting the sad record of Grimshaw straight was Harry E. Davis in his A History of Free Masonry Among Negroes in America in 1946. In 1977 Charles H. Wesley wrote Prince Hall Life and Legacy and attempted to correct the falsehoods of the past. Black Square and Compass was written by Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., in 1979; later he wrote Prince Hall Masonic Quiz Book. Dozens of other authors and writers, black and white, have covered the pros and cons of Prince Hall Masonry (including other black Masonry, much of which is definitely clandestine [see below]).

Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, 1947:

The question of PH recognition did not surface seriously again until the series of events in Massachusetts between 1947 and 1949. On March 12,1947, the Grand Lodge of that State, though for years the consistent and positive repudiator of Prince Hall or Negro Masonry, adopted the report of a special committee (headed by Melvin Maynard Johnson, a PGM) declaring that Prince Hall Masonry was as regular and legitimate as the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts itself. Two Grand Lodges severed relations with Massachusetts and others threatened to do so. On June 8, 1949, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts rescinded its former resolution. This resulted in a renewed interest within the Craft to determine the facts concerning Prince Hall Masonry.

The Results of the Investigation.

A group of 15 men of color were initiated into Masonry in Boston, Mass., on March 6, 1775 by one John Batt of Lodge No. 441, Irish Constitution. On Sept. 29, 1784 the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) issued a warrant for African Lodge No. 459, which was received three years later. The following letter was sent to England shows the Lodge continued to work:

LETTER OF JANUARY 5. 1824 SENT TO THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND
(Original in the G. L. files)

To the Right Worshipful, the Grand Master, Wardens and Members of the Grand Lodge of England.
We your petitioners, Sampson H. Moody, Peter Howard, Abraham C. Derendemed, John I. Hilton, James Jackson, Zadock Low, Samuel C. Gardner, Richard Potter, Lewis Walker, and other Companions Who have been regularly exalted to the Sublime Degree of Royal Arch Masons.
Our worthy and well beloved Brethren, Prince Hall, Boston Smith, Thomas Sanderson, and several Brethren having obtained a Warrent from your Honorable Body, on September 29, 1784, A D., A.L. 5784, when under the Government of Thomas Howard, Earl of Effingham, Lord Howard &., &., &., acting Grand Master Under the authority of his Royal Highness Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland. Grand Master of the Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons.
This warrant allowing us to confer but the three Degrees, and Finding it injurious for the benefit of our Body by having no legal authority to confer the other four degrees. And understanding that the seven degrees is given under the Warrants from the Grand Lodge, We, therefore humbly solicit the Renual of our Charter to authorize us Legally to confer the same, as we are now getting in a flourishing condition. It is with regret we communicate to you that, from the Decease of our well Beloved Brethren who obtain’d the Warrant we have not been able for several years to transmit Monies and hold a regular Communication; but as we are now permanently established to work conformable to our Warrent and Book of Constitutions, we will send the money, for a new Warrant. Should your Honourable Body think us worthy to receive the same. We remain, Right Worshipful and Most Worshipful Brethren,
With all Due Respect, your fraternally
Samson H. Moody, W. M.
Peter Howard S. W.
C. A. De Randamie J. W.

Given under our hands at Boston, in the Year of our Lord 1824, January 5th (5824).
William J. Champney Secretary.

This letter was ignored by the United Grand Lodge of England. African Lodge had been erased -- along with every other lodge that had been on the roster of the English Grand Lodges at the union in 1813. This included about half the lodges then in Massachusetts. What occurred during the next three years is not clear, but it would appear the officers and members of the lodge believed they had been rebuffed. At any rate the letter was published in Boston:

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PUBLISHED IN BOSTON NEWSPAPER JUNE 26, 1827
African Lodge No. 459
(Note: The Grand Lodge of England in 1793 had actually renumbered the lodge to 390. It should be noted this was done periodically. Lodges not heard from or that had not contributed to the charity fund were dropped and new numbers given to those remaining. It would strongly indicate that African Lodge was known to be active and contributing.)
Greetings:
Be it known to all whom it may concern. That we, the Master, Wardens, Members of the African Lodge No. 459, City of Boston (Mass.), U. S. of America, hold in our possession a certain unlimited Charter granted September 29, A. L. 5784, A. D. 1784 by Thomas Howard, Earl of Effingham, *** Whether the conditions have been complied with by our ancestors, we are unable to say; but we can add that, in consequence of the decease of the above-named Brother, the institution was for years unable to proceed, for the want of one to conduct its affairs agreeably to what is required in every regular and well-educated Lodge of Masons. It is now, however, with great pleasure we state that the present age has arrived to that degree of proficiency in the art, that we can at any time select from among us many whose capacity to govern enables them to preside with as much good order, dignity, and propriety as any other Lodge within our knowledge. This fact can be proved by gentlemen of respectability, whose knowledge of Masonry would not be questioned by any one well acquainted with the art. Since the rise of the Lodge to this degree of proficiency, we concluded that it was best and proper to make it known to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge from whence we derived our charter, by sending written documents and monies, to fulfill the agreements of our ancestors, giving information of the low state to which it had fallen, its cause, &c., with its rise and progress, and also soliciting favors, whereby we might be placed on a different and better standing than we had heretofore. And not withstanding this has long since been done, and more than sufficient time has elapsed for returns, yet we have never received a single line or reply from that Hon. Society. In consequence of that neglect, we have been at a stand what course to pursue. Our remote situation prevents us from making any verbal communication whatever. Taking all those things into consideration, we have come to the conclusion that with what knowledge we possess of Masonry, and as people of Color by ourselves, we are, and ought by ourselves free and independent of other Lodges. We do therefore, with this belief, publicly declare ourselves free and independent of any Lodge from this day, and that we will not be tributary, or be governed by any other lodge than that of our own. We agree solemnly to abide by all proper rules and regulations which govern the like Fraternity, discountenancing all imposition to injure the Order, and to use all fair and honorable means to promote its prosperity, resting in full hope that this will enable us to transmit it in its purity to our posterity for their enjoyment.
Done at the Lodge, this 18th day of June A. L. 5727 [sic], A. D. 1827.
In full testimony of what has been written, we affix our names:
John T. Hilton, R.W.M.
Thomas Dalton, Sen. Ward.
Lewis York, Jun. Ward.
J. H. Purron, Secretary

On the same day, June 18,1827, a warrant was issued for Boyer Lodge No. 1 of New York.

In 1777 the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts claimed its independence from England, but it would be 1792 before it and the St. Andrews body would unite to become one Grand Lodge. In 1778 the Virginia lodges formed themselves into the Grand Lodge of Virginia, thereby becoming the first independent Grand Lodge in the United States. Other Grand Lodges quickly followed. The African Lodge did no more than its white counterparts then in existence, and what lodges would do as states were admitted to the Union.

For what it is worth, the Encyclopedia Americana, 1940 ed. Vol. IV, places the total population of Boston in 1820 at 43,000. Negro Population 1790-1915, published in 1918 by the U. S. Bureau of the Census, states that in 1790 the population of Boston consisted of 17,277 whites and 761 Negroes. Jess Chickering, in Statistical View of the Population of Boston from 1765 to 1840, published at Boston in 1846, gives the following figures for Negroes in that city: year 1790, 766; year 1800, 1174; year 1810, 1468; year 1820, 1690; year 1830, 1875. Since the above numbers include both sexes and all ages of Negroes, the number available for a male fraternal organization was small.

Black Masons in Philadelphia, having nowhere else to turn, sent a letter to the African Lodge in Boston on Sept. 28, 1789. They said they were ready to go to work ”having all but a Dispensation.” A dispensation was granted. That was the beginning of African Grand Lodge, and requests for dispensations arrived from Providence, Rhode Island, and New York City. This was not an innovation at that period. Other lodges had done the same, notably Fredericksburgh in Virginia and Kilwinning in Scotland. One may even refer to St. John’s Lodge in Boston in 1733. And this lodge acted as a Grand Lodge.

After receiving a copy of the original warrant for African Lodge No. 459 from Prince Hall it was accepted and used by the Philadelphia group. On Dec. 28, 1815, the Past Masters of that lodge met and transformed it into African Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons For and In the jurisdiction of North America. That appears to be the first body of blacks to have maintained or claimed to have a Grand Lodge and it evidently warranted a number of subordinate lodges. In the meantime African Grand Lodge continued working. In 1847 the African (or National) Grand Lodge became Prince Hall Grand Lodge honoring the first Master of African Lodge.

The parent body has appeared to have remained committed to the Constitutions of Freemasonry as compiled by James Anderson. Over the years sch*sms and outright break-aways have plagued the parent. Offshoot bodies calling themselves Masonic have sprung up in almost every state. (See Black Grand Lodges not recognized by Prince Hall Masonry.) This has resulted in numerous law suits instituted by PHM in an attempt to keep its name from blemish. PHM has been successful in these cases, particularly when recognized officials of ”Regular” Freemasonry, such as George Newberry, Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite, NMJ, testified in its behalf.

Prince Hall Masonry in the 1990s.

For several years there have been a few Freemasons on both sides of the fence attempting to reach a satisfactory conclusion to the differences between ”Regular” and Prince Hall Masonry. One of the greatest stumbling blocks was, and is, the vast number of other black groups calling themselves legitimate. Sincere efforts have been made, and are being made, to reconcile the perceived problems. On occasion papers have been presented at Conferences of Grand Masters (held annually) discussing the pros and cons of black and particularly Prince Hall Masonry. Men of goodwill have discussed the issues openly and fully. One Masonic publication The Philalethes of The Philalethes Society, has repeatedly covered the subject. The Masonic Service Association has made investigations and reported its results (usually favorably) to its member Grand Lodges. Several lodges, and a few Grand Lodges, have met socially with members of the other group. While there never will be complete agreement attempts have been increased to accommodate what differences there may be.

The key note address at the Conference of Grand Masters on February 22, 1989 was presented by Allen E. Roberts of Virginia. His topic was ”Universality.” Within his address he said: ”[T]his universality incorporates Brotherly Love for all God’s creatures. It is way past time for all good men to stand toe to toe to f*ght the att*cks of the b*gots of race, r*ligion, politics, and t*rror by whatever name they carry. Let’s start with one segment of our Brotherhood -- Prince Hall Masonry. For more than two centuries this has been the most lied about organization in the world. Caucasian Freemasonry has misstated the facts about it; Black Freemasons and their supporters have exaggerated its history and its hierarchy. Finally, reasonable men on both sides are searching for and finding the truth. . . . Let me simply say that any Masonic organization that has stood the test of time -- 214 years in this case -- must be considered legitimate.” It actually makes Prince Hall Masonry older than the United States. Roberts emphasized that PHM did not want to give up its identity; it simply wanted Caucasian Masonry to recognize it as legitimate, giving it an opportunity to bring the r*negade blacks into its fold. He termed ”Exclusive jurisdiction” as a strictly American innovation recognized nowhere else in the world. He could find no reason why two Grand Lodges could not serve Freemasonry in any state on a separate and equal basis. He urged the Grand Masters to go back and put universality into practice. (For a full account of this address see the Proceedings of the Conference of Grand Masters for 1989; also see ”Universality” in The Mystic Tie, Macoy, 1991.)

A short time later the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, under the leadership of it then Grand Master, did just that. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut and its predominately white counterpart recognized each other as equals. A few other Grand Lodges followed, notably the Grand Lodge of Washington (state) where William Upton was vindicated.

Prince Hall Masonry and the ”Higher” Degrees.

Practically every kind of appendant body known to white Freemasons, including, particularly Chapters of Royal Arch, Councils of Royal and Select Masters, Commanderies of Knights Templar, Consistories and Supreme Councils of the Scottish Rite, the Shrine and others. It appears that Union Chapter R. A. M. was established at Philadelphia in 1826, and Friendship Chapter, in 1844, at the same place. This throws some light on the possible origin of the nine Royal Arch Masons who were named in the above quoted Petition of 1824. In that year there was formed at Philadelphia the First Independent African Grand Chapter of North America. There are now Grand Chapters in a number of states.

Cryptic Masonry was first mentioned in Prince Hall records in 1880, but there seems to have been no Royal and Select order until 1916, when African Grand Chapter formed councils at Cleveland Toledo, and Columbus, Ohio. These organized a Grand Council in 1917, which was incorporated in 1920. Councils, and possibly Grand Councils, have been formed in other states.

It is said that St. George Encampment of Negro Knights Templar was formed at Philadelphia in 1820 Palestine No. 2 in 1826, and Richmond No. 3 in 1838, and that First African Grand Encampment of North America was established in 1844.

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is said to have been introduced at Philadelphia in 1820. It is also stated that Count de St. Laurent was responsible for that action in 1832-34. The first authoritative information, however, relates to a meeting of a Negro Supreme Grand Council 33rd Degree at Philadelphia in 1854. The minutes of 1856 state that this was formed under a patent from the Supreme Council of France. In 1864, a separate Supreme Council was formed in New York, made up of members of National Compact Grand Lodge, from which a Southern Jurisdiction split off with headquarters at Baltimore. From the Philadelphia Council, a Southern and Western Jurisdiction def*cted with headquarters at Washington, D. C. In 1871 a fifth was started at Philadelphia, named King Frederick Supreme Council. In 1881-1887, these five merged into two United Supreme Councils 33rd Degree, one for the Northern and one for the Southern Jurisdiction. There was yet other Negro Supreme Androgynous orders, the Eastern Star, Heroines of Jericho, Amaranth, Daughters of Isis and others flourish among the blacks.

Black Grand Lodges other than Prince Hall.

M.W. National Grand Lodge of F&AAYM of U.S.A., Prince Hall Origin & Parent Body of All Legitimate Masons, York Scottish (AL)
Lincoln Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Colored Masons of America (AL)
Supreme Workshop of Modern Free and Accepted Colored Masons of America (AL)
King Solomon Grand Lodge, AF&AM (AL) (AR) (DC)
Grand Lodge AF&AM, Scottish Rite (AL)
Ezra Grand Lodge, AF&AM (AZ)
King David Grand Lodge, AF&AM (AR)
St. John’s Grand Lodge, AF&AM (AR) (CT) (DC)
St. James Grand Lodge, AF&AM (AR)
Ivanhoe Grand Lodge, AF&AM (CO)
Sons of Light GL, AF&AM (CA)
Hiram of Tyre GL, AF&AM (formerly ”Fletcher GL”) (CA)
Eureka GL, F&AAYM (CA)
King Solomon GL F&AAYM (National Compact) CA
St. John’s GL AF&AM of Canada and California (CA)
St. Anthony’s GL, AF&AM Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons (CA)
Pyramid GL AF&AM (CA)
Esotoric GL of America (CA)
Enoch GL AF&AM (CA)
St. Mathew’s GL (CA)
True Light GL AF&AM (CA)
Mount Logan GL AF&AM (CA)
M.W. Mt. Tabor GL AF&AM, Inc., Scottish Rite (CA)
Harmony GL F&AAYM (National Compact) on the Continent of North America (DE)
Orient GL AF&AM, Inc., Scottish Rite (DE)
Two Individual Lodges (DE)
Grand Lodge AF&AM, Inc. (unit of McBlain Thomson’s American Federation) (DC)
National Ethiopian Supreme Council of the Universal Order of Freemasons (Ethiopian Rites Exclusive) (DC)
Universal GL AF&AM (DC)
Sovereign GL AF&AM (DC)
Grand Orient of the District of Columbia (DC)
Washington Consistory No. 1 AASR (DC)
Benderson GL (DC)
Grand Lodge F&AAYM, Inc (GA)
Prince Hall GL AF&AM, Inc. (FL)
Grand Lodge AF&AM (FL)
International Free and Accepted Masons (GA)
Smooth Ashlar GL F&AAYM (GA)
Supreme GL of Modern Free and Accepted Masons of the USA (GA)
St. Joseph’s GL AF&AM (GA)
M.W. Sovereign GL AF&AM of the USA - Regular Masonic Succession, Instituted A.D. 1901 (IL)
St. Mark’s GL F&AAYM (National Compact) Prince Hall Origin (IL)
St. John’s GL AF&AM (IL)
Grand Lodge AF&AM (IL)
St. James GL AF&AM (IL)
Hiram GL AF&AM (IL)
W.T.M. Grant Jr. GL AF&AM (IL)
King David GL AF&AM (IL)
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons -- Working In and For the USA, Its Dependencies, Territories, Canada and the Free World (IL)
Hiram GL AF&AM (IN)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (IN) (KS)
King George GL AF&AM (IN)
King David GL AF&AM (IA)
St. James GL AF&AM (IA)
St. John the Evangelist GL AF&AM (KS)
St. Mark’s GL AF&AM (KS)
United King George GL AF&AM (LA)
Universal GL AF&AM (LA)
United St. John’s GL AF&AM (LA)
St. Andrew’s GL AF&AM (LA)
Jerusalem GL AF&AM (LA)
St. John’s GL AF&AM (LA)
Alpha GL AF&AM (MA)
Eureka Alpha GL of AF&A Scottish Rite Colored Masons of Massachusetts (MA)
George W. Carver GL AF&AM (MA)
Hiram GL AF&AM (MA)
Hiram GL AF&AM, Inc., Scottish Rite (MD)
Zerubbabel GL (MD)
Mt. Nebo GL AF&AM (MI)
United GL, Inc., Scottish Rite Masons (MI)
Mt. Sinai GL AF&AM (MI)
Atomic GL AF&AM (MI)
St. John’s GL AF&AM (MI)
Pride of the East GL AF&AM (MI)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (MI)
Mount Olive GL of AYM (MI)
Universal GL of AYM of the Provinces of the Continent of North America (MI)
International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, Inc. (MI)
King David GL AF&AM (MI)
Tyree GL AF&AM (MI)
Prince Hall GL AF&AM (MS)
King Hiram GL AF&AM (MS)
King David GL AF&AM (MS)
Cuey GL AF&AM (MS)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (MS)
Grand Lodge AF&AM, Inc. (MS)
W.T.M. Grant, Jr., GL AF&AM (MS)
St. Mathew’s GL AF&AM (MO)
St. Mark’s GL AF&AM (MO)
Tyre GL AF&AM (MO)
Grand Lodge AF&AM (MO)
St. Andrew’s GL (MO)
Afro-American Free and Accepted Masons of U.S. (MO)
Oriental GL AF&AM (NJ)
St. John’s GL AF&AM (NJ) (NY)
King Hiram GL AF&AM, Inc., Scottish Rite (its constitution styles it as ”William Hiram Pilgrim”) (NJ)
King David GL AF&AM (NJ)
D.U.B.F.K.S. and K.M.T. GL No. 1, AF&AM (NJ)
King William GL AF&AM (NJ)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (NJ)
York Grand Lodge (NJ)
Union GL AF&AM (NJ)
Enoch GL AF&AM (NY)
United Grand Orient (NY)
Universal Grand Orient, Inc. (NY)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (NY)
Orient GL AF&AM of the State of New York (NY)
St. John’s GL AF&AM of the World (NY)
Esoteric GL of America, Inc. (pending) (NY)
Hiram GL AF&AM No. 1 (Bronx) (NY)
Hiram GL AF&AM No. 2 (Manhattan) (NY)
Mecca GL AASR (NY)
Unity GL AF&AM (NY)
King Cyrus GL AF&AM (NY)
Grand Lodge AF&AM of the State of New York (NY)
United GL AF&AM Scottish Rite (NY)
St. John’s GL, Scottish Rite (NY)
Oriental GL AF&AM of State of New York (NY)
Alpha GL AF&AM (NY)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (Prince Hall Affiliate) (NM)
Brotherly Love GL AF&AM (NC)
Grand Lodge AF&AM (NC)
Keystone GL AF&AM (NC)
Omega GL AF&AM (NC)
North Star GL F&AAY (MN)
Sovereign GL AF&AM of U.S.A. (OH)
United GL AF&AM (OH)
M.W. Grand Lodge AF&AM Under the authority of Haiti (OH)
Titus GL AF&AM (OH)
St. John’s GL AF&AM (OH)
King George GL AF&AM (OH)
Benevolent GL AF&AM (OH)
Royal Craft GL F&AM of the World (OH)
Rising Heights GL AF&AM (OH)
Eureka GL AF&AM (OH)
National GL F&AYM of USA Colored, Inc. (OK)
Mount Moriah GL AF&AM (OK)
Oriental GL AF&AM (OK)
Eureka GL F&AAY (OK)
St. Joseph’s GL AF&AM (OK)
King David GL AF&AM (OK)
Rising Hiram or King Hiram GL AF&AM, Scottish Rite (OR)
Imperial Grand Council AF&AM of Philadelphia (PA)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (PA)
Masonic Brothers of Philadelphia (PA)
Hiram GL AF&AM (PA)
Grand Lodge F&AA York Rite Masons (PA)
H.T. Broadus GL of A.F. and African Masons of Philadelphia (PA)
Widow’s Son GL AF&AM (PA)
Keystone GL AF&AM (PA)
Nehamiah GL AF&AM (PA)
Pride of Pennsylvania GL AF&AM (PA)
Knight of St. John GL (PA)
Williams GL AF&AM (SC)
Palmetto GL F&AAY (SC)
King David GL AF&AM (TN)
Hiram GL AF&AM (TN)
King Solomon GL AF&AM (TN)
St. John’s GL AF&AM, Inc. (TX)
Alpha GL AF&AM (TX)
Sunset GL AF&AM (TX)
St. Joseph GL (Colored) AF&AM (TX)
King Solomon GL (Colored) AF&AM (TX)
King Solomon United GL AF&AM (TX)
Dozo GL AF&AM (TX)
United M.W. Scottish Rite GL, Inc. (TX)
Universal GL AF&AM (TX)
Mount Carmel GL AF&AM (TX)
Mount Sinai GL AF&AM (TX)
Hiram Tyrar GL AF&AM (TX)
Mount Olive GL, Inc., for the U.S.A. (VA)
Sovereign GL AF&AM (VA)
Grand Lodge F&AM (VA)
St. John’s F&AM (Prince Hall Origin) (VA)
Prince Hall GL AF&AM (VA)
Universal GL AF&AM (WA)
King Hiram GL AF&AM (WV)
Royal Craft GL F&AAYM (WV)
Mount Olive GL AF&AM (WI)
M.W. Pennsylvania GL F&AAYM, Prince Hall origin, National Compact (PA)
Grand Orient of America A&ASR Masons (TN)
Prince Hall GL of F&AAYM (PH origin) Compact (LA)