Grand United Order of Odd Fellows

The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, American Jurisdiction is a jurisdiction of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows in the United States. Since its founding in 1843 its membership has principally included African Americans, people of African descent in areas outside the United States and other people of color.

In contradistinction to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America traces its origin to the original Grand United Order of Oddfellows in England, which was established in 1798. In 1810 a group split from the Order and became the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity. In 1819 a branch of Oddfellowship was introduced into the United States by Thomas Wildey, and remained an organic party of the Manchester Unity until 1843, when it became a separate organization under the name Independent Order of Odd Fellows. By that time there were only four known lodges of Oddfellows in the United States owing allegiance to the Grand United Order; they were located near Pottsville, Pennsylvania. note: those four lodges were "self-inducted".

In 1842 members of the Philomathean Institute in New York city petitioned the Manchester Unity aligned American Oddfellows for a dispensation to form their institute into a lodge of Oddfellows. They were denied, because they were black. At this point Peter Ogden, a black sailor who had been initiated into a Grand United Order affiliated lodge in Liverpool, suggested that they try to receive recognition from them. This idea was approved and Ogden sailed to England and obtained recognition from the Grand United Order's governing body at Leeds to form the Philomathean Institute into Philomathean Lodge #644 on March 1, 1843. The four existing Grand United Order affiliated lodges refused to recognize Ogden as Deputy, admittedly because they did not wish to associated with people of color. It is unknown if they ever joined the IOOF or disbanded, but they did not become a part of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America.

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