For people interested in lineage societies, I found this handy link a few months ago. The Hereditary Society Community of the United States of America -
http://www.hereditary.us It lists a large number of societies from the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts (1637) to the Order of Descendants of Pirates and Privateers (2003). There is a section for the “Accepted Customs and Practices for Dress and Insignia.” In the Ladies section, particular attention is paid to DAR.
http://www.hereditary.us/ladies.htm
I also found a lineage society for the descendants of slaves. Information on the International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry can be found at
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilissdsa/#info.
To echo what others have said, it is so important to know your history. If you are not interested for yourself then think of your children. Write down your stories, record older relatives, take lots of pictures, and document them! Take time to share what you have learned. That is a daunting task so just start with your immediate family.
From a personal standpoint, I lost 11 family members in a 3-year period. This included my mother, grandparents, great-aunts, and great-uncles. Going through boxes of personal items is hard enough but when it comes to photographs, I cry. I have no idea who many of these people are and there is no one left to identify them. I have never seen a good picture of my mother’s mother. She was one of those that turned her head when a camera came near.
Hybrid Mode
