Editing Freemasonry (section)

===North America===
[[File:Erasmus James Philipps, Old Burying Ground, Halifax, Nova Scotia.jpg|thumb|[[Erasmus James Philipps]], first Freemason in present-day Canada, [[Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia)]]]]
The earliest known American lodges were in [[Pennsylvania]]. The collector for the port of Pennsylvania, John Moore, wrote of attending lodges there in 1715, two years before the putative formation of the first Grand Lodge in London. The [[Premier Grand Lodge of England|Grand Lodge of England]] appointed a Provincial Grand Master for North America in 1731, based in Pennsylvania,<ref>[http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/pennsylvania_freemasonry.html Francis Vicente, An Overview of Early Freemasonry in Pennsylvania] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520014313/http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/pennsylvania_freemasonry.html |date=20 May 2013 }}, ''Pietre-Stones'', retrieved 15 November 2013</ref> leading to the creation of the [[Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania]].

In Canada, [[Erasmus James Philipps]] became a Freemason while working on a commission to resolve boundaries in [[New England]] and, in 1739, he became provincial Grand Master for [[Nova Scotia]]; Philipps founded the first Masonic lodge in Canada at [[Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.grandlodgens.org/content/chapter-1-beginnings| title = History of Freemasons in Nova Scotia| access-date = 23 April 2019| archive-date = 23 April 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160423005153/http://www.grandlodgens.org/content/chapter-1-beginnings| url-status = live}}</ref>

Other lodges in the colony of Pennsylvania obtained authorisations from the later [[Antient Grand Lodge of England]], the [[Grand Lodge of Scotland]], and the [[Grand Lodge of Ireland]], which was particularly well represented in the travelling lodges of the British Army.<ref>[http://www.stjohns1.org/portal/lodge_history Werner Hartmann, "History of St. John's Lodge No. 1"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207154541/http://www.stjohns1.org/portal/lodge_history |date=7 December 2013 }}, ''St. John's Lodge No. 1, A.Y.M.'', 2012, retrieved 16 November 2013</ref><ref>M. Baigent and R. Leigh, ''The Temple and the Lodge'', Arrow 1998, Appendix 2, pp. 360–362, "Masonic Field Lodges in Regiments in America", 1775–77</ref> Many lodges came into existence with no warrant from any Grand Lodge, applying and paying for their authorisation only after they were confident of their own survival.<ref>Robert L.D. Cooper, ''Cracking the Freemason's Code'', Rider 2006, p. 190</ref>

After the [[American Revolution]], independent U.S. Grand Lodges developed within each state. Some thought was briefly given to organising<!-- NOTE: THIS ARTICLE USES UK SPELLING ... which spells this word with an "s" and not a "z." --> an overarching "Grand Lodge of the United States", with [[George Washington]], who was a member of a Virginian lodge, as the first Grand Master, but the idea was short-lived. The various state Grand Lodges did not wish to diminish their own authority by agreeing to such a body.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book
| title = Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730–1840
| first1 = Steven C.
| last1 = Bullock
| author2 = Institute of Early American History and Culture (Williamsburg, Va.)
| location = Chapel Hill
| publisher = University of North Carolina Press
| year = 1996
| isbn = 978-0-8078-4750-3
| oclc = 33334015 }}</ref>

On April 30, 1789, George Washington took his [[Oath of office of the president of the United States|oath of office]] at his [[First inauguration of George Washington|first inauguration]] upon a Bible belonging to [[St. John's Lodge (New York)|St. John's Lodge No. 1]] of New York. Originally, it was expected that Washington would bring his own Bible upon which to swear his oath of office, and there was some consternation when it turned out that no one had informed Washington to bring one. Thinking quickly, [[Jacob Morton]], the Marshal of the Inauguration (and Master of St. John's Lodge), borrowed the Lodge's Bible for use in the ceremony. That Bible has been known since as the [[George Washington Inaugural Bible]], and is still in possession of St. John's Lodge No. 1 of the Grand Lodge of New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=George Washington Inaugural Bible |url=https://stjohns1.org/the-lodge/george-washington-inaugural-bible/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=St. John's Lodge No. 1 A.Y.M. |language=en-US |archive-date=28 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428171143/https://stjohns1.org/the-lodge/george-washington-inaugural-bible/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert R. Livingston|Robert Livingston]], [[New York Court of Chancery|Chancellor]] of the State of New York, also the first [[Grand Lodge of New York|Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York]], administered the oath.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-18 |title=President George Washington's First Inaugural Speech (1789) |url=https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-george-washingtons-first-inaugural-speech |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=National Archives |language=en |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526205628/https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-george-washingtons-first-inaugural-speech |url-status=live }}</ref> This event effectuated the establishment of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government of the United States, which had until then existed only virtually after the US Constitution become operational almost two months earlier, on March 4, 1789.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On this day, government begins under our Constitution |url=https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/march-4-a-forgotten-huge-day-in-american-politics-2 |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705133234/https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/march-4-a-forgotten-huge-day-in-american-politics-2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Today in History - March 4 |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/march-04/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526205626/https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/march-04/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Jamaican Freemasonry====

Freemasonry was imported to [[Jamaica]] by British immigrants who colonized the island for over 300 years. In 1908, there were eleven recorded Masonic lodges, which included three Grand Lodges, two Craft lodges, and two Rose Croix chapters.<ref name="Handbook of Jamaica">{{cite book |date=1908 |title=Handbook of Jamaica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-LwCAAAAYAAJ |location=Google Books |publisher=Jamaica Government |page=449 }}</ref> During slavery, the lodges were open to all "freeborn" men. According to the Jamaican 1834 census, that potentially included 5,000 free black men and 40,000 free people of colour (mixed race).<ref>{{cite book |date=1908 |title=Handbook of Jamaica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-LwCAAAAYAAJ |location=Google Books |publisher=Jamaica Government |page=33 }}</ref> After the [[Slavery Abolition Act 1833|full abolition of slavery in 1838]], the Lodges were open to all Jamaican men of any race.<ref name="Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper">{{cite news |date=10 December 2017 |title=Charting The History Of Freemasons In Jamaica |url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/art-leisure/20171210/charting-history-freemasons-jamaica |work=Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper |archive-date=28 January 2019 |access-date=28 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128191302/http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/art-leisure/20171210/charting-history-freemasons-jamaica |url-status=live }}</ref> Jamaica also kept close relationships with Masons from other countries. Jamaican Freemasonry historian Jackie Ranston, noted that:

{{Blockquote
|text=Jamaica served as an arms depot for the revolutionary forces when two Kingston Freemasons, Wellwood and Maxwell Hyslop, financed the campaigns of Simón Bolívar, the Liberator, to whom six Latin American Republics owe their independence". Bolívar himself was a Mason, enjoying contacts with Brethren in Spain, England, France, and Venezuela until after gaining power in Venezuela, he prohibited all secret societies in 1828 and included the Freemasons.<ref name="Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper"/> }}

On 25 May 2017, Masons around the world celebrated the 300th anniversary of the fraternity. Jamaica hosted one of the regional gatherings for this celebration.<ref>{{cite news |date=18 April 2017 |title=English Freemasons To Celebrate Their 300th Year In Jamaica |url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170418/english-freemasons-celebrate-their-300th-year-jamaica |work=Jamaica Gleaner Newspaper}}</ref><ref name="Handbook of Jamaica"/>

====Prince Hall Freemasonry====
{{Main|Prince Hall Freemasonry}}

Prince Hall Freemasonry exists because of the refusal of early American lodges to admit African Americans. In 1775, an African American named [[Prince Hall]],<ref>
{{cite web
| url = http://www.mindspring.com/~johnsonx/whoisph.htm
| title = Who is Prince Hall? And other well known Prince Hall Masons
| first = Lawrence
| last = Johnson
| year = 1996
| access-date = 14 November 2005
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070602065851/http://www.mindspring.com/~johnsonx/whoisph.htm
| archive-date = 2 June 2007
| url-status=dead
| df = dmy-all
}}
</ref> 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 Grand Lodge of England (Premiere Grand Lodge) and formed [[African Lodge No. 459|African Lodge, Number 459]]. When the two English grand lodges united in 1813, all U.S.-based Lodges were stricken from their rolls&mdash;largely because of the [[War of 1812]]. Thus, separated from both English jurisdiction and any concordantly recognised U.S. Grand Lodge, African Lodge retitled itself as the African Lodge, Number 1&mdash;and became a ''de facto'' Grand Lodge. (This lodge is not to be confused with the various Grand Lodges in Africa.) As with the rest of U.S. Freemasonry, Prince Hall Freemasonry soon grew and organised <!-- NOTE: THIS ARTICLE USES UK SPELLING ... which spells this word with an "s" and not a "z". --> on a Grand Lodge system for each state.<ref>[http://www.princehall.org/History/Ray%20Colemans%20History.pdf "Prince Hall History Education Class" by Raymond T. Coleman(pdf)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223554/http://www.princehall.org/History/Ray%20Colemans%20History.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }} retrieved 13 October 2013</ref>

Unlike other fraternal orders, there was never any blanket rule against the admission of men based on their race. Each lodge and grand lodge had their own rules, both written and unwritten. A few non-Prince Hall lodges did admit Blacks, with [[Angelo Soliman]] being one notable Masonic personality of African descent. Nonetheless, 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.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Today most (but not all) U.S. Grand Lodges recognise their Prince Hall counterparts, and the authorities of both traditions are working towards full recognition.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://bessel.org/masrec/phamapshistorical.htm
| title = Prince Hall Masonry Recognition details: Historical Maps
| first = Paul M.
| last = Bessel
| access-date = 14 November 2005
| archive-date = 13 December 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101213215140/http://bessel.org/masrec/phamapshistorical.htm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The United Grand Lodge of England has no problem with recognising Prince Hall Grand Lodges.<ref>[http://www.ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges "Foreign Grand Lodges"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022100731/http://ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges |date=22 October 2013 }}, ''UGLE Website'', retrieved 25 October 2013</ref> While celebrating their heritage as lodges of African Americans, Prince Hall is open to all men regardless of race or religion.<ref>[http://www.princehall-pa.org/GrandLodge/glhist.htm "History of Prince Hall Masonry: What is Freemasonry"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119011047/http://www.princehall-pa.org/grandlodge/glhist.htm |date=19 November 2013 }}, ''Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania'', retrieved 25 October 2013</ref>