Sons of Confederate Veterans - Order of The Confederate Rose

Order of The Confederate Rose

Some SCV divisions have auxiliaries or support groups known as the Order of the Confederate Rose. The OCRs are primarily the ladies auxiliary to the SCV. The organization was inspired by a conversation in January 1993, at a dinner in Birmingham, Alabama to commemorate Robert E. Lee's birthday. The speaker Charles Lunsford told Jane Latture that a women's group called the Order of Robert E. Lee had been organized in Georgia. Latture felt that many women in Alabama were concerned about "attacks on their confederate heritage", and suggested to several friends that they create their own order. On May 1, 1993, 11 wives and daughters of members of the SCV met during the state convention and organized the Order of the Confederate Rose. Latture suggested the name based on the TV movie The Rose and the Jackal, about Rose O'Neal Greenhow, a Confederate spy. The organization was formally chartered with 65 members on October 16, 1993.

The OCR does not have a national organization but a loose confederation of independent state societies. To form a state society, the minimum number of chapters is two. The following states have OCR societies: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Chapters or contacts exist in Maryland, New York, Indiana and Oregon.

Membership requirements vary among the states. Most do not have lineage or ancestor requirements, and welcome males as well as females. Usually the only membership requirement is recommendation by a current OCR or SCV member. Some societies state that they do not compete with the UDC. The South Carolina society is unique in allowing its chapters to determine membership requirements, other than stating that no members may be "known felons" and that all members should conduct themselves as "ladies".

Some societies have specialized auxiliaries called the Order of the Black Rose or Society of the Black Rose. Yvonne Brown suggested these at the 1998 North Carolina OCR convention. Members of this subset take on the persona of Civil War mourners or widows; they dress in all-black period attire at SCV functions, memorials and grave dedications. Each such society is led by a "Keeper of the Rite" who is the contact person; she keeps a list of "widows" available for particular functions. Black Rose societies have been formed in Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana.