COME MEET US--
CHARTER STATEMENT/NEWS RELEASE...We are the 13th OLDEST CWRT on The Planet Earth, according to the late Jerry Russell of The Civil War Round Table Associates!!!!!
The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston began in 1957 as a small group of local Historians who would meet first in various living rooms, and then in Room 27 of The Massachhusetts State House, discussing all aspects of American History. We were actually calling ourselves The Boston Round Table of American History, since we discussed all aspects of our History. By the 1970s, we had grown to such large numbers of membership, that our members from The Central Massacusetts area, formed their own Chapter, meeting first at thw G.A.R. Hall in worcester and then at The Worcester Public Libraryand now The DAR Hall in Worcester, Ma. on the last Wednesday of each month. Also, by this time, we were firmly entrenched in the study of The American Civil War, with occasional trips to other aspects of our American History. By 1982, we incorporated as a non-profit organization under the I.R.S. Code 501(c)(3).
In 1988, The Cape Cod Civil War Round Table which was forming, asked to join us as an affiliated Chapter,now meeting each 3rd Month of the month at 1:00 p.m. at The Yarmouth Senior Center on 528 Forest Drive Yamouth, with more informal sessions continuing throughout the Summer. In 1992, we helped form The Civil War Round Table of Northshore/Lynn Chapter as part of our group, meeting on the second Friday of the month at the Lynn, Ma. G.A.R. Hall at 58 Andrews St. Again in 1998, another Civil War Round Table formed associated with us in Leominster, Ma 01453 known as the North Worcester County Civil War Round Table, which meets every second Tuesday of the month at the Leominster Historical Society at 50 School St. In 2006, Calvin Wright of The Cape Cod CWRT started a new Chapter in New Bedford called The Greater New Bedford Civil War Round Table which has also asked to join us in our CWRT of Masachusetts.
In May 1996, new amendments were made to our By-Laws enabling us to upgrade our organization, followed by a legal change of operational status. This new organization is now known as The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston d/b/a/ the Civil War Round Tables of Massachusetts. This new Association will operate as independent Chapters with their own Treasuries and equal status in the association's Executive Board which meets once or twice a year to discuss Special Events such as Seminars or The Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Awards Dinner, or The organization's newsletter THE RECALL JOURNAL, and operate consistent with the By-Laws of The CWRT of Greater Boston.
The newsletter of The Civil War Round Table has always been known as THE RECALL JOURNAL, and contains minutes of the meetings of some of its Chapters, up to date news of Preservation, and news of upcoming Civil War and other Historical events important to the Reenacting, Living Historians, Veterans, CWRTs, and all lovers of History.
Since its beginnings, The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston, has always been involved with the local Communities, Veterans, Reenactors, Historical and Geneological Societies, or any other group or organization that needs our assistance. We have raised monies for Graveyardorganization that needs our assistance. We have raised monies for Graveyard Desecration Repairs, Educational efforts, Preservation of all Historical Sites and Effects. We have also filed Legislation for Preservation and Educational reforms. Since 1993 we have been going out into the Schoolsystems of this Commonwealth, bringing our knowledge to them, as well as bringing them into our Chapters as equal members. The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston since 1981, has been taking Battlefied Tours to our great Historical and Civil War Sites, sharing what we know and learning from some of this country's best known Historians and Guides.When there is a call for a Civil War organization in this Commonwealth,. to help with any major event or or need, such as assisting on The State House Flag Restoration Committee, or The Museum of Our National Heritage's Exhibit of the 5400 Photographs rediscovered by The Medford, Ma. Historical Society, or the 100th Anniversary Celebration of The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial/54th Ma. Rgt with (Ret. Gen.) Colin Powell as Keynote Speaker, or when there is a CWRT that can represent all CWRts in New England to place a Wreath at The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, it is usually The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston that is called. After a great deal of reaching out to older CWRTs and some people who have been around the Civil War Round Table movement for the past fifty years, and the opinion of no less than Ed Bearss himself, we believe that we are the very first CWRT to ever have been so honored to Place such a wreath at The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. It was done as a shared event with CWRTs from all over New England and done to Honor all of the Americans who have fallen or are missing in every Military action since we began.
Along with these Calls to Honor, The CWRT of Greater Boston d/b/a The Civil War Round Tables of Massachusetts has also led the fight to have Colonel Edward E. Cross of the 5th N.H. Vol. Regt. posthumously Breveted to a Brigadier General, spearheaded by our member Harvey Griff after a thirteen year fight, Co-sponsored the rehabilitation of the Lower Mills Kneeling Soldier Civil War Memorial in Dorchester. These have accompanied the many other efforts for this past half century which sent many thousands of dollars to Preservation efforts Locally, Regionally, and Nationally....In 2008, The Civil War Round Table of Greater Boston also be on the Advisory Committee for The Massachusetts Lincoln Bicentennial Commission......and in 2011 we were named as a member as the Civil War Administrative Liaison to the Massachusetts Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
Respectfully Submitted,
David L. Smith, President, CWRT of Greater Boston & Editor of THE RECALL & Webmaster of www.cwrtgb.com
EMAIL:CWRTMASS@COMCAST.NET....3 Waverley Oaks Rd. #202 Waltham, Ma. 02452-6274.... or please Tel: 781-647-3332