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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Mutual Recognition Approved in Alabama; Not in Georgia


Welcome news coming out of Alabama's Annual Communication on Tuesday is that the Grand Lodge of Alabama F&AM has voted unanimously to recognize the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Alabama F&AM. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge requested recognition only, and the Grand Lodge of Alabama approved their request as it was written. There has been an initial stipulation by them of no inter-visitation or affiliation at this time, to be renegotiated in ten years, but that has historically not been an unusual first step around the country. That will undoubtedly soon change. For example, in Kentucky a similar situation was first stipulated, and they achieved full recognition in two years. So these are all basic beginnings. 

Bravo to all who helped this development to come about. 

Meanwhile over in Georgia at the Grand Lodge of Georgia F&AM at their October 27th Annual Communication, I understand they once again tabled a request to recognize their own Prince Hall counterpart, without so much as any discussion of it. And another attempt to remove the by-law wording banning homosexual members from Masonic membership in that state failed. 70% of attendees voting against removing it.


UPDATE 1/10/2018:

The MWPHGL of Alabama announced the joint recognition vote in its official communication issued on December 1, 2017 by MW Corey D. Hawkins, Grand Master. It reads as follows:

AMITY/MUTUAL RECOGNITION
As voted upon and passed unanimously at our 147th Annual Communication, to go into effect simultaneously with their passing of the same, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama has entered into an amity/mutual recognition agreement with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama (Caucasians). The amity/mutual recognition went into effect on November 14, 2017, when the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama (Caucasians) voted in favor of the amity/mutual recognition agreement.
The amity/mutual recognition agreement contains the following safeguards in addition to both Grand Lodges maintaining our separate existence:
1.) There shall be no visitation at neither the Subordinate Lodge nor Grand Lodge levels;
2.)The Amity/Recognition Agreement shall never constitute future merger;
3.) There shall be no instance of demitting to the other Jurisdiction; and 4.) The Amity/Recognition Agreement shall not be amended nor revisited within ten (10) years from the date of acceptance, November 14, 2017.
This amity/mutual recognition does not change anything as it relates to our lack of interaction with the Grand Lodge of Alabama (Caucasians). It simply opens the door for recognition with other Grand Lodges. I have clearly stated what thesafeguards of this agreement are. One may ask, “What good is recognition without visitation?” I say to you, although this is 2017, unfortunately there are some thoughts and ideas of the Jim Crow era that still exist here in the State of Alabama. Realistically, we have some brothers from both sides who do not wish to have visitation. However, I do believe that the amity/mutual recognition agreement is a move in the right direction. We must crawl before we walk. We will continue to operate as we have for the past 147 years. Take notice and govern yourselves accordingly.

Image H/T: KingAthgelstan on Reddit

10 comments:

  1. Do you mean the Grand Lodge of Alabama approved their request as it was written? 1st paragraph, last sentence.

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    1. Sorry. Fixed it. I'm trying to stupidly update this from my phone, which is a terrible idea.

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  2. Georgia it's time to wake up it's 2017 not 1817 Gay or straight we are all brothers

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  3. J.A. Chin you are misinformed. The vote was to accept recognition as it was requested by the PHGL of Alabama. I was there and a part of it.

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  4. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge requested recognition only, and he Grand Lodge of Arkansas approved their request as it was written.

    Should be.

    The Prince Hall Grand Lodge requested recognition only, and the Grand Lodge of Alabama approved their request as it was written.

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  5. Well, at least progress is being made in Alabama! Masons are brothers. It's that simple.

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    1. This whole conversation about race and recognition makes me question the foundation of the whole Masonic Order. how can we call ourselves a fraternity in which every man is on the level and yet we cant even agree to sit down together as brothers in the same room? I am a Prince Hall Mason in California, and we have a solid relationship between our Grand Lodge and the California Masons Grand Lodge. But here, too, there are issues about recognition and engagement. I just ask how can race still be an issue for brothers of the same fraternity and yet we dont respect or acknowledge each other as brothers and men? This "recognition" is a good first step, but if we were really living out the true meaning of masonry, this step would be unnecessary.

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  6. Brother Darrin, of course its supposed to be a brotherhood rooted in the Enlightenment tolerance of diversity, and these racial and gender discriminations sully its name and embarrass.

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  7. I hope we get our act together in Tennessee. It would be nice if we recognized PH.

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  8. I was sick when I found out that I could only visit PHA lodges, since I am under the jurisdiction of the MWPHGL of GEORGIA. I didn't become a Freemason to limit myself to African American lodges.

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