The Order 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 lets 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 Jackson