Prince Hall Freemasonry | |
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Founded | September 29, 1784 Boston, Massachusetts, US |
Type | General fraternity |
Affiliation | Independent |
Status | Active |
Emphasis | African Americans |
Scope | International |
Chapters | 4,500+ |
Members | 300,000+ lifetime |
Headquarters | United States |
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Freemasonry |
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Prince Hall Freemasonry is a branch of North American Freemasonry created for African Americans founded by Prince Hall on September 29, 1784. Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest and largest (300,000+ initiated members) predominantly African-American fraternity in the United States.[1]
Different organizations purport to be of Prince Hall Freemasonry: one group is the independent, 'Prince Hall Affiliated' or 'PHA' Grand Lodges, most of which are recognized by their State Grand Lodge counterparts and the United Grand Lodge of England, being considered 'regular' in Freemasonry. Others are under the jurisdiction of a 'National Grand Lodge', 'Prince Hall Origin', or otherwise non-Prince Hall Affiliated Lodge or Grand Lodge. These are considered 'irregular', 'clandestine', and unrecognized by both the Prince Hall Affiliated masonic bodies and their 'mainstream' masonic counterparts.