The following was presented December 2, 2024, by Education Officer Tom Lewis.
AF & AM and F & AM
- Masonic Lodge of Education
What is the difference between AF & AM and F & AM? In actuality, it does not matter which Lodge you join in the United States. In the U.S., every regular Lodge is under the jurisdiction of its state Grand Lodge. All Freemasons both AF & AM and F & AM trace their allegorical history back to the building of King Solomon’s temple. Freemasonry was exported to the British colonies in North America from the Grand Lodges of Ireland, Scotland, and England.
From 1751 to 1813, there were actually two Grand Lodges in England, due to a disagreement between Lodges. The disagreement was later healed around 1880, but, by that time, there were Lodges and Grand Lodges all over the U.S. that were descended from one group or the other. Because of this, the newly formed Lodges kept their corresponding initials with which they were formed.
Most Grand Lodges in the U.S. recognize each other and treat each other’s members as valid Masons. Also, all the U.S. Grand Lodges recognize the official Grand Lodges of England, Ireland, Scotland, and elsewhere around the world.
South Dakota and Iowa are among the 24 states that use the initials AF & AM. Twenty-five states are recognized by F & AM. One state, South Carolina, uses the initial AFM. All constitute Lodges of recognized Freemasons.
