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Society of the Black RoseThe Society has been formed to organize South Carolina Order of Confederate Rose members that have an interest in portraying the persona of a widow or mourner. Please see our Calendar Page for some of our events. Our members will be notified of other events by email or newsletter. Black Rose The Society of the Black Rose is a reminder of the loss of life during the civil war. It is a very reverent organization. Women who lost loved ones, be it sons or husbands, men fighting for a cause in which they so dearly believed in. To be a member of the Society of the Black Rose is an honor and with that honor is placed the responsibility of portraying the death of our soldiers who fought so gallantly to protect our way of life. We walk upon hallowed ground at each Memorial Service we attend. Being a Black Rose member gives me the opportunity to step back in time and feel the loss of those that have long since passed, fighting and defending our precious land. I have felt the stirring of the spirits of those that we mourn. It is something that lives inside the women who are Black Roses. These men should not ever be forgotten. The Society of the Black Rose is an organization that preserves our heritage and at the same time let’s us mourn the loss that each woman before us felt. We are not only are paying respect to the fallen soldier but to the women who loved them. For me, BLACK attire represents mourning and ROSE represents the love for the soldier and his family who paid the price of death for the cause.
Heidi B Jackson
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SCOCR
"Keeper
of the Rite"
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As Keeper of the Rite, I would like to see more communication with each chapter's Black Rose members. Perhaps if a chapter has more than one Black Rose there could be one chosen as contact person for their chapter so that we could coordinate our Black Rose functions. There are so many memorials that I am sure that are on a local level that Black Roses could attend from neighboring towns. As Black Roses we carry the responsibility to be on call for those that need us to come and represent not just at the larger memorials but the smaller ones. Any woman who is a Black Rose is a special woman. We don't dress in the pretty day dresses that some of the Rose's do. We wear black mourning attire because each Black Rose has dedication and reverence in their hearts. I would like to see each Black Rose from each chapter get together for an annual meeting to fellowship. I would like to see each chapter call upon the Black Roses more often. We are a sisterhood not just an organization. I would like very much to meet some Black Roses from other chapter's or have ladies who are Black Roses attend meetings at other chapters so that they could share not only events that are upcoming but also their personal feelings about being a Black Rose. That would possibly get more ladies interested in becoming a Black Rose. Perhaps we could also develop a Black Rose newsletter so that each member knows what is going on with each chapter. I had the opportunity to attend the Hunley Funeral Charleston. I was not a Black Rose at that time but immediately knew that I wanted to be one. To see the mass of mourners enter the cemetery was an awesome sight. When the gate was opened they locked arms with me even though I was not "one" of them and we were the first to enter the cemetery. For me that acceptance from the Black Roses as well as their presence has been a determining factor in how I want to preserve our history. We as Black Roses are respected and we all have that special love in our hearts for "our" fallen men. A member of the Black Rose knows all too well the stirring of emotion that the widow's weeds and memorial services bring to life.
Heidi B Jackson |
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