Why two prince hall grand bodies in florida

There is only one legitimate grand lodge with PHA in its title in Florida and that is:

I realize this is an old thread but please allow me to add my $.02. As many well informed Brothers within this jurisdiction and without have accurately pointed out,  there is only ONE, legitimate and properly recognized PHA grand Lodge in Florida and that is The Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Florida; Belize, Central America and St. John U.S.V.I., Incorporated, Prince Hall Affiliated.  Among Prince Hall masons this is a long settled issue but it is good to ask to questions for newer members of the Craft or the interested observer. I’d like to add three points to enhance the conversation.

                First, as an earlier poster mentioned, our Grand Lodge in Florida was started by three lodges that were the offspring of Hiram Grand Lodge (National Compact) of Pennsylvania. I doubt that our beginnings were much different from many later established(post Civil War) PHA Grand Lodges in that there were mixtures of "Compact" masons as well as "Regular" Prince Hall Masons. I find it impossible for a modern day Prince Hall mason to look at our history of "whence we came", and not appreciate the dynamic of the times. As noted earlier, the Pennsylvania Grand Lodges "reconciled" in 1847 and the Union Grand Lodge of Florida was officially started in 1870, 23 years apart. But let’s look further at that 23 time span. What happened between 1850 and 1870? All hell broke loose (Well actually for us black folk, we had always been in Hell up to, during, and after that time). So while Pennsylvania like many northern Grand Lodges gained amity with their "Compact" Grand Lodge brethren that did little to stop the spread of "Compact" masonry throughout the rest of the country. I can only imagine that the charismatic types like Bro. Greaves, Bro. Stringer (who helped start MW Stringer Grand Lodge of Mississippi, the other PHA Grand Lodge without Prince Hall in its official title), and brothers like Bro. John Jones (I know, but he was for good early on) had no problem coming into new areas of the South and starting Masonry as they saw fit. I am not suggesting that most or even much of Masonry as practiced during the time was questionable, but it would appear hard for the casual observer to tell a difference? By what standard would one judge? However after having the official opportunity to discern the difference, it was clear where Florida chose to be, among the number of regular Masons of Prince Hall linage.

                Secondly, as was highlighted in PM (now MWGM) Stafford’s research and our records show, the AFAM "Prince Hall" Grand Lodge was actually started in 1912 by expelled brothers from our own Grand Lodge. I won't get into specifics, please read the article, but I will suppose that those poor Brothers heart might have been in the right place. However, two wrongs don't make a right, and what those former members did was illegal and clear violation of the oaths they took. I personally can empathize with them founding members just as I emphasize with any person who joined Masonry on the "wrong" side of the tracks unknowingly. But once one is proverbially brought to light regarding legitimate PHA masonry, then, a decision has to be made. If one chooses illegitimacy well then off to the dark side you go.

                Lastly, a point I'd like to make to all younger Prince Hall Masons who are eager to receive more light in Masonry is to joint some other bodies in Masonry. As you research you will find amazing timeline coincident with the other bodies’ history, linage, and key characters that will overlap mush of the discussions regarding this time period in American History.

                I will end here but I hope it created some food for thought amongst the craft.

Great point, my Brother. As I pointed out, while I could emphasize with their sentiments and unaddressed grievances they may have had, to do what those ex-Masons did was inexcusable. Almost immediately after realising the improperness of their actions, these ex-Masons "ran for cover" and tried to get any quazi-official group to santion their actions;i.e."the Grand Congress" or whatever the spurious body was.

Also, please note that by the 1880s-1890s, Masonic Jurisprudence (in Prince Hall Masonry especially) as it is curently practiced began to form and the actions of individuals like John G. Jones and others were purely for their own selfish and egotistical reasons.