In accordance with the regulation above mentioned the Grand Lodge of England granted many warrants for holding lodges in the countries of Europe and upon the American continent. Indeed, all Masonic lodges established since that period, directly or indirectly derive their existence from the Grand Lodge of England. Many field or army warrants were granted for the holding of lodges, among which one was held in the army of General Gage in the town of Boston, Massachusetts. In this field or army lodge, in 1775, were initiated, passed, and raised Prince Hall, Cyrus Jondus, Bueston Slinger, Thomas Sanderson, Prince Tayden, Cato Speain, Boston Smith, Peter Best, Fortin Howard, Prince Reed, John Canten, Peter Freeman, Benjamin Tiber, Buff Burfron, and Rich Tilly. These Brethren applied to the Grand Lodge of England March 2, 1784, for a warrant to form a regular lodge in Boston, which was granted September 29, 1784, but which was not received until May 2, 1787.

On the list of lodges in America under the English Constitution 1783 and 1889 as prepared by John Lane, Past Provincial Grand Registrar of Devonshire (England) is the following record: "Boston, 1784, September 29, number 459, African Lodge, number 370 in 1782, erased in 1813."

It was said of Prince Hall, the Worshipful Master of this lodge, that he was a man of "exceptional ability," and "that he worked zealously in the case of Masonry until his death in 1807, exercising all the functions of the Provincial Grand Master," and was so recognized by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England, who under the date of August 29, 1792, wrote Prince Hall inquiring about four of the Prince (Caucasian) Lodges, from which he had heard nothing for years; intimating that he was about to erase their names from the roster of Grand Lodges. The report of Prince Hall saved these (Caucasian) lodges from Masonic death.

On March 22, 1792, Prince Hall organized a lodge in Philadelphia, consisting of thirteen Negroes who had been made Masons in England. He subsequently organized a lodge in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1808 these three lodges organized the African Grand Lodge in Boston, which is now known as "The Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Massachusetts."

From the introduction of Masonry among colored men in 1797 to 1915 enough lodges were formed in Pennsylvania to organize a second Negro Grand Lodge known as the "First Independent African Grand Lodge of North America." Owing to some friction among the lodges of this jurisdiction, Union Lodge #4 and Harmony Lodge #5 were expelled from the First Independent Grand Lodge. This resulted in the formation of a rival Grand Lodge in Pennsylvania known as the "Hiram Grand Lodge."

On March 14, 1848, representatives of Boyer Lodge #1, New York City, which was organized by the African Lodge of Boston in 1812, Celestial Lodge #2, of New York, organized by Harmony Lodge of Pennsylvania, and Rising Sun Lodge #3, also of New York City, organized by the First Independent African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania joined with each other in the organization of the Grand Lodge now known as "The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New York."

Since its organization on March 1, 1870, the M:. W:. Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina has grown to 461 lodges and a membership over 18,000. Also included are appendant bodies of the York Rite, Scottish Rite, and Shrine.

Adoptive rite refers to several orders which admit both men and women to membership. Such an organization is the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) and is composed primarily of women. This website includes OES, adoptive masonry, out of courtesy and because this organization functions under the jurisdiction of the M:. W:. Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina.