Good afternoon,,
I am a rather new Fellow Craft Brother and I happen to be African-American. I am Ancient Free & Accepted as opposed to Prince Hall (which is VERY popular and local in my area of New Jersey).
To be perfectly honest, outside of my amateur studies in the early 90's, which I had looong forgotten, I didn't remember that they different "organizations" w seperate lineages, for lack of a better word. After my EA initiation, my lodge Brothers explained that I was AF&AM--and I didn't think much of it until I started paying attention to some of my lodge Brothers along w members of my Motorcycle CLub who happen to be PHA.
My President, who is a Master, will not even discuss Masonry w me or another club-mate/Brother who is AF&AM.
He says he doesn't really care, but was told by his WM that PHA cannot have Masonic discussions w others (my word), presumably AFAM/International, etc.
I have another club-mate who is also a higher degree PHA Mason, who WILL casually discuss Masonry, but only enough to say that PHA is the real deal and everything else is "clandestine".
Its annoying and rather frustrating.
Have a great evening, Brothers.