2006-02-21 Nashville, Tennessee

The Committee on Information for Recognition,
in its Report to the
Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America
dealt with the letter from the PHCGM of 1005-05-06 as follows:


PRINCE HALL CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS

A letter has been received from the Prince Hall Conference of Grand
Masters requesting:

1.    That all Price Hall Grand Lodges be declared regular by the
Conference of Grand Masters of North America, and
2.    That the policy of Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction be clearly
defined so that Universal Masonry can prevail while keeping the
Brotherhood of Man through the Fatherhood of God; a viable cause for
Freemasonry as a whole.

It has become generally accepted that Prince Hall Freemasonry is regular
in form and practice. The Prince Hall Grand Lodges derive their origin
from African Lodge No 459, which received a charter from the United
Grand Lodge of England in 1784. There are approximately 40 member Grand
Lodges of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America that have
established a fraternal relationship with one or more Prince Hall Grand
Lodges. Therefore, the question of regularity does not seem to be an
issue any longer.

The issue of Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction is one of the standards
for recognition that has been strictly observed by this Conference. It
is held that only one legitimate Grand Lodge will be recognized to a
particular state o country, *_unless_* by treaty or mutual consent two
Grand Lodges agree to share the same jurisdiction. This is the mechanism
by which our Grand Lodges have established a fraternal relationship with
Prince Hall Grand Lodges. The terms of such an agreement are usually
negotiated and ratified by the two Grand Lodges in question and no
change in that process is recommended.

We continue to be of the opinion that establishment of fraternal
relationships with Prince Hall Grand Lodges remains the prerogative of
each individual Grand Lodge.


see also: http://www.cgmna.org/images/ir3.jpg