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At the 1998 NCOCR convention in Charlotte, the "Society of the Black Rose" was approved by the members as a part of the state organization. The goals of the founder were to organize a statewide network to help with memorial services, to enlighten the men and ladies to proper persona and to offer services or assist with services locally and statewide and services in other states by invitation. The structure was setup to have a "Keeper of the Rite" who would serve as a contact person and keeper of the services that can be adopted to help the SCV or anyone honoring a Confederate or a Confederate Memorial in their region. The Keeper of the Rite is assisted by a phone coordinator who has a list of the members and phone numbers and calls when widows were needed. With Winston-Salem as the dividing line, regions were divided by East and West.
The Black Rose was named in honor of the greatest widow in
the Confederacy who risked her personal safety for the Confederate Cause and
lost her life trying to help The Cause, Rose O'Neal Greenhow.
The Black Rose can assist locally as
small groups with memorial services or programs, and as a state group for
special services. The JEB Stuart Foundation was our first group program and has
since become an annual event for the Black Rose. By invitation, we represented
the NCOCR in Charleston, SC, last November for the reinterment of the 22
sailors, and one child whose remains were exhumed from beneath the Citadel
football stadium. Locally, we have assisted with a reinterment Raleigh and in
Newton for Old Soldiers Memorial Day. On Confederate Memorial Day, many ladies
assisted their SCV Camps with the service and/or placed wreaths. There is a need
for this group and the service we can offer.
The Society of the Black Rose is a volunteer
Order within
the NCOCR to perpetuate the persona of a War Between the States widow at SCV
functions, memorial services, grave dedications, etc.; and is open to any
dues-paying member of the NCOCR (no additional dues required). At present, we
have 35 members and are still growing.
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