If not, then why not?

[Bro Jaime Solis]

Are their any, af & am lodges that are african american lodges. I have browsed through the internet and found quite a bit. Are they considered irregular or bogus? If so then why?
Is the white man only allowed to call himself, if he being so a mason
af & am and/or mainstream and if so why?
Does the phylaxis commission on bogus lodges only consider pha regular and any african american lodges claiming to be af & am bogus, if so then why?
Who chooses what lodge is recognized or not?
Is it mainstream freemasonry or pha or is it in the eye of the beholder?

Basically why is there a line splitting everyone to small pieces when everyone in freemasonry is working for the same thing in search for more light and live by brotherly love, relief, and truth. Where are the virtues we should live by?

 

[Blake Bowden]

It's a much bigger issue than white vs. black or PHA vs. Mainstream. In Texas, the Grand Lodge of Texas and Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas signed a compact recognizing each other as "regular" Masons. Why not full recognition? I've been told...

• The Prince Hall Grand Lodge was concerned about dues. They are significantly higher vs "mainstream" Lodges. Would their members leave if full recognition was allowed?
• Both sides acknowledge racism within their Lodges. There are PHA lodges who are content being predominately African American and "mainstream" being white.
• Territorial issues. Apparently the PH GL of Texas has chartered Lodges outside of Texas. Would this conflict with the Grand Lodge of Texas?

That being said, there are no black or white Lodges...PHA or otherwise...at least there shouldn't be.

In Texas we need full recognition with our Prince Hall Brethren. The Grand Lodge of Texas doesn't have military Lodges...wouldn't it be nice if "mainstream" members could visit pha military lodges while they serve over seas? In Gonzales (my town), there used to be a PHA Lodge. Wouldn't it be nice if they could at least attend my Lodge? They would have a home, at least in visitation.

The 2007 compact was a stepping stone, but it drives me crazy. We recognize Prince Hall AS REGULAR (not irregular...nor clandestine) but we aren't allow to sit in Lodge together. Times are changing my Brother. It may seem slow, but just think...in a few years we will fundamentally change Freemasonry as we know it.

 

[Bro Jaime Solis]

History in the making brother history in the making

but one question was left out is there such thing as african american af & am lodges in texas that are considered regular if not then why consider themselves regular or why does mainstream and pha consider them irregular?

 

[fairbanks1363pm]

im not sure if im awnsering your question or not but all prince hall lodges are free and accepted. this dates back to the grand lodge who they got their charter from which is traced back to the grand lodge of england.
the african american lodges who are af&am in texas are irregular because they can not trace their charter back to anything or any regular grand lodge. i had a aquintance who i worked with 10 years ago. he was a member of an african american lodge that was af&am. they started his lodge in the back of a barber shop with no dispensation from any grand lodge. soon after they started a grand lodge.