Topic: November Branch Meeting
Date: Nov 11, 2021 05:56 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Meeting Recording:

Access Passcode: 

Call to Order

Moment of Silence

Salute to our Veterans – Happy Veterans Day!

Let’s celebrate another year of life with a founding member of the original Cleveland Branch of ASALH and an ASALH former Vice President for Membership…Shirley Kilpatrick.

Happy 93rd Birthday to Shirley Kilpatrick!  Shirley is still driving and enjoying whatever you decides to enjoy!  That’s our Shirley!  We celebrate you Shirley for your service to ASALH. Happy Birthday.

Branch Directories

• Please review your branch directory recently forwarded to your branch by HQs
• Report any updated contact information and any branch members that are missing from your list to HQs as soon as possible.

Confirm your 2021 Branch Events submitted through the Event Portal

• Please proof the list of your branch events that were forwarded to HQs through the event portal.
• It is HQs hope that all Carter G. Woodson Birthday events will be included in the event portal no later than November 11.
• This event report is used to apply for the Combined Federal Campaign each year and the application is due on January 15, 2022.
• We must have accuracy of the events that actually took place in our branch locations across the country.
• Be sure all of your events for 2021 are properly reported. (If you placed an event in the portal that did not occur, please remove it.)  Call the office at 202-238-5916 if you need help accomplishing this assignment.

Annual Branch Report due January 15, 2022

• This year the annual report and financial report will be provided as separate documents
  • They are both due January 15, 2022 and will be available to fill out at the same time.
  • If you have questions, don’t hesitate to send them to [email protected] or call the HQs office.

Personal Branch Evaluation Discussion (Each branch will be able to take a personal assessment to ensure your branch is in compliance.  Tool and Scoring Legend Attached.  This is for personal evaluation only for discussion with your branch members.[This is not a required task–This tool is provided for use by those branches who would like to evaluate your annual performance for discussion with your branch members.]

Recruitment Season – Has your branch considered utilizing or have already utilized recruitment letters or portions of the letters to recruit new members or retain current members?  Have you utilized statements from the letters to include in your personal recruitment letters?

Elections (Is your branch due for an election of officers?)  Be sure your bylaws indicate when your elections are to be conducted.

Q&A

Announcements:

Carter G. Woodson Birthday Celebration Symposium — Collaboration with NPS and ASALH, December 18 2021 (flyer will be forwarded soon)

Annual Reports, due January 15, 2022

Calendar for 2022, due January 1st (This is an option promoted by HQs to ensure your members and guest know how to plan to attend your events during the 2022 year.)

Adjourn

Photo of land dedicated in Cleveland, OH secured by the ASALH Cleveland Branch in 1977:  The late Booker Tall Founding President, and the late John and Gail Rose founding members.

Topic: October Branch Meeting
Date: Oct 14, 2021 05:56 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Meeting Recording:
https://asalh.zoom.us/rec/share/YPg88N_ifSFzcAQclFPkOikx5PY7IyiRiAve_uh4Osq40USLYOJDQkjJ51Y1cxF_.oOwns85zkolujO6P

Access Passcode: vxK!pa69

Opening Statement – Barbara Spencer Dunn, VP for Membership

Greetings – President Higginbotham, President

Global Impact – DID YOU KNOW?

Four Significant Tools Woodson Created:

Tool #1
• Association for the Study of Negro Life and History 1915
• Journal of Negro History 1916 (now Journal of African American History)

Tool #2
• Associated Publishers in 1921
• Woodson Home 1922 – Next Generation – Woodson Legacy

Tool #3
• Negro History Week (1926) (now Black History Month)
• The Importance of Themes

Tool #4
• Negro History Bulletin 1937 (now Black History Bulletin)

Woodson’s Idea of Branches 1929 first Branch (news article 1927)

Woodson highlights place-based education – 1937 celebration of Negro History Week (National Park Service’s implementation of African American Historic Sites)

Why Am I a Member?

ASALH Legacy of Mentoring and Its Meaning Today

How Do You Personally Promote the Legacy?

Join the National Membership in our membership campaigns
Starting today through October 3rd (the day ASNLH was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1915) engage in at least one of these Membership Campaigns:

• Entrepreneurs

• Churches

• Family Members

• General Membership (especially targeting those 55 and under)

• Institutional Members

• Encourage Registration to the Annual Meeting and Conference
• Use Membership Campaign letters and flyers
• Everyone recruit at least one member September 9, 2021 thru October 3, 2021

2021 ASALH Significant Anniversaries:
Centennial of the publishing of The History of the Negro Church

Centennial of the first writing of the manuscript The Case of the Negro published in 2009 as Carter G. Woodson’s Appeal

Centennial of the Founding of Associated Publishers (now ASALH Press)

Announcements:

Social Justice Workshops. Use link below to register. Additional information can be found under attachments.
https://asalhworkshops.eventbrite.com/

Register for the Annual Conference: September 14 – September 30
(every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
REGISTER

Annual Branch Contributions were due August 31, 2021

Deadline for 2022 Black History Month Festival Submission COB October 15, 2021

Share the program you have planned for Black History Month (All branch programs will be promoted through the ASALH calendar; two branch programs will also additionally be promoted with the National ASALH BHM Promotionals)

Renew your Membership between October and December 2021 – JOIN

Promote a reading of Carter G. Woodson’s Appeal – Give this treasure as a gift – BUY NOW

Promote a reading of The Mis-Education of the Negro – Use this Study Guide.

July 8, 2021 Meeting Recording:
https://asalh.zoom.us/rec/share/c0ojJa_FwhuDpIfSBEsxrm7aVfQGsKT9pQm3XdjBrqPtNYY2ld78NENeJpJXCuxQ.Vf4VgpZE26DzI6Dd

Access Passcode: nQ3v8+z0

Hello ASALH Branch Members,

It is our hope all is well with families and members of ASALH.  As we get closer to the virtual ASALH Annual Meeting and Conference this year, please invite your friends, colleagues and family members around the world to register.  This is the silver lining in the COVID19 experience–you can participate no matter where you are in the world.  So let’s make sure our friends and family from around the world participate.  This is always a time to get family members on board as members of ASALH–encourage them to join as well.

Please check with all of your branch members to make sure they received and have reviewed the suggested Constitution and Bylaw change that was submitted to all members last week.  Changes to the Constitution and Bylaws must be submitted to members 60 days prior to the Annual Meeting and Conference, then voted on by the membership at the Annual Meeting.  So be sure to survey your branch members to make sure they read and understand the suggested change before attending the Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, September 30 at 6:30 pm EST.

Be on the lookout for your ballot very soon.  Make sure all of your members take the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the 2021 ASALH election.  Remember, if you have ever ‘unsubscribed’ to ASALH Constant Contacts, you will not receive your ballot electronically.  Please take care of reinstating your subscription to Constant Contact if you have ever unsubscribed.  You are the only one who can re-engage with Constant Contact.  If this is you, take care of this reinstatement TODAY.

Again, we are asking everyone to check with all members of your branch to ensure they are receiving notices for the monthly membership meetings.  If not, please contact Headquarters at [email protected]. 

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Barbara Spencer Dunn
Vice President for Membership

Call to Order

• Greetings

• Regret to report the Van McCoy Legacy Branch of ASALH has been dissolved.

• Introduction of Organizing Branch Leadership

  • Greensboro NC Triad              Brian Robinson

  • Rochester NY                             Pamela Reese Smith

  • Tulsa OK                                      Vanessa Adams-Harris

• Marketing Committee Announcement, Zebulon Miletsky, Chair, Rose Chandler, Vice Chair

ASALH Electronic Media Toolkit

• ASALH TV Committee/Festival Planning  Lopez Matthews, ASALH TV, Chair & Gladys Vaughn, Festival Planning Committee Co-Chair

• Virtual Conference Registration Announcements Sylvia Cyrus, Executive Director

• The Conference Media Toolkit  Branches are free to use these images

• Branch Contributions are due August 15

• Branch Event Announcements from July 9- August 11.  – All events that are to be announced must be submitted via the website prior to the meeting. Click here to post the event. 

• Meeting Adjourned

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR INFORMATION

• Annual Meeting and Conference Business Meeting, September 30, 2021 6:15 p.m. EST

• Branch Chartering and Workshop, Saturday, September 18, 9:00 a.m. EST

• Expect your ballots for ASALH’s 2021 election during the first full week in July.  Please encourage all of your members to exercise their right to vote. Here are the voting instructions and candidate bios. 

• Are you receiving your Journal of African American History?  If not, contact ASALH Headquarters immediately at [email protected].

  • Associate members do not receive copies of the JAAH and do not vote. 

• During this year’s membership recruitment period [October – December 2021] encourage all of your Life Members to become Sustaining Life Members by giving a tax-deductible donation in the Sustaining Life Membership Category.  Only Life Members can participate in this category.  These members are listed in the Annual Meeting and Conference Program Journal.

• Remember, this year focuses on Family.  Encourage your family members across the country and around the world to join ASALH.

• Branch Presidents Photos https://asalh.org/members/branch-presidents/

June 10, 2021

Meeting Recording:
https://asalh.zoom.us/rec/share/rI3aIAN8xeOiJg1kcY0RZ21MUXBPHCu07ZMmBYvo7FbPFjxhL4GBTviiOUtDnwLe.lXGOkjepEv2i4lf0

Access Passcode: %1@RsfMg

May 13, 2021

Meeting Recording:
https://app.box.com/s/7m8724db0uo27janixzov9o22dtfkyqc

• Call to order – Barbara Spencer Dunn

• Greetings – President Higginbotham

• Branch Compliance Status    Kathie House

• Membership Update; Growth Overall; and Branch membership needs for Compliance – Sylvia Cyrus

• Q&A and discussion

• Training Needs

• Adjourn

The April 8th meeting recording can be viewed here.

Dear ASALH Branch Members,

NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING DISCUSSION GUIDE

• Branch Compliance is mandatory

• Has your branch scheduled a meeting to discuss with all of your members the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document?
• The National Membership Committee (NMC) instructs all branches to first review this document with the all the officers of your branch, then schedule a meeting for all branch members to review this document. The goal is constant succession planning. If you educate all of your branch members about what it takes to be a branch in compliance, you are more likely to find members who will be willing to serve because they will have knowledge of what is required and expected of a branch. If you have questions on Branch Compliance, please send in advance to [email protected]

• Are you scheduled for at least 4 meetings this year? This requirement will be added to the FAQ. It is important to develop a system to stay in contact with your members.

The officers of all branches of ASALH must work as a team, read all documents shared by the NMC and HQs, and follow instructions.

• No one member of the branch should bear the burden of branch compliance alone. There should be a strong core of eight members (5 of them officers) that work closely to keep the branch flowing properly.

• Newly formed branches are organized with this concept in mind and should always work to keep that precedent in place to ensure the branch will always operate efficiently. One person becoming ill, having to take a needed vacation, take on care for a sick relative or aging parent, etc., should not cause the branch to fall apart.

• Are there suggestions that you think would add value to this procedure? If so, please share in advance at [email protected]
• If your branch has mastered this instruction, please share how by emailing [email protected]

The NMC must do a better job explaining and documenting what is required.

• This incident proved there are a large number of branches that do not understand or ignore the plea to follow instructions that guarantee compliance. We want to hear from you what you think would be a way to improve our communication for success in this area.

• Please provide questions OR ideas in advance of Thursday’s meeting to [email protected]
• If easier, call Barbara Spencer Dunn at 301-254-3137. Barbara will record your idea or question to include in this discussion.

If you have not paid National Membership Dues, you are not a member of the branch and cannot hold an office.

• This is a critical requirement–failure to have officers who are compliant at all times places the HQs in jeopardy during audit season. Officers must be compliant at all times.

• The 15-member requirement is also in jeopardy—a branch must always have 15 members.

• Remember, it is ok to have a couple members who faithfully pay their dues each year but do not work. But you must have a core group of eight to keep the branch moving forward at all times.

• The NMC encourages all branches to take advantage of the national membership campaign immediately following the Annual Meeting and Conference of ASALH each year to get all branch dues paid by December 15th (to be sure membership does not expire on December 31st.) All membership dues paid from October (or immediately following the annual meeting if the meeting is in October) are activated on January 1 and do not expire until December 31 of the following year.

• Remember, ASALH’s calendar year is January 1 through December 31. Whenever you join in the year, your membership expires on December 31. (unless you pay membership within the membership campaign season as noted above.)

• Share your thoughts on this campaign suggestion.
• What has been your difficulty and how do you suggest it is resolved?
• Has this policy worked well for you? If so, share your branch success with this suggestion.

URGENT NOTE: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MONITORING 501 ( c) 3 ORGANIZATIONS VERY CLOSELY. BRANCH NON-COMPLIANCE PLACES THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION IN JEOPARY OF LOSING ITS 501 ( c) 3 STATUS.

• You are ASALH. Without working branches, which also promote and carry out the mission and vision of our founder, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, ASALH would not exists.

FINAL NOTE: We are expanding the National Membership Committee to organize by regions. Our goal is to encourage branches to mentor and engage each other. Let us know if you are interested in volunteering for the NMC. Email [email protected]

IMPORTANT DEADLINES TO REMEMBER:

• Call for Papers Early Bird Deadline is March 15. The final deadline is April 30.
Deadlines for submission of proposals are as follows: Early Bird Submissions HAS PASSED. Responses to Early Bird submissions will be sent out by April 15, 2021 at 5 P.M (EST). After this date, the committee will accept all submissions until the deadline of April 30, 2021. Regular Submissions will be responded to by June 15.

Click here to submit a proposal through All Academic.

You can login using your profile from 2019. Click here to join ASALH through ASALH Online.

• Call for Posters contact is Aaisha Haykal ([email protected])

• Executive Council Nominations due April 15, 2021. The Nominating Committee of The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) seeks nominations for the Executive Council, class of 2024, and, for the Executive Officers of the Association as follows: President, Vice President for Programs, Vice President for Membership, Secretary, and Treasurer. Nominations may be sent electronically to the Co-chairs of the Nominating Committee at [email protected] and to the Executive Director at [email protected] under the heading Executive Council Nominations and must be received by April 15, 2021.

Hello ASALH Family,

First of all, thank you for your support of ASALH’s first Black History Month Festival.  Wow…what a whirlwind the month of February has been! We are so grateful we are all still standing. (smile)  As promised at our February meeting, our agenda for Thursday March 11, 2021, is to hear from you.  It is our hope you will plan to extend the time for at least a half hour longer, 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., so we can celebrate you!  We are asking each Branch President (or appointee) to share a 1 ½  minute highlight of at least one program your branch presented in February.  (We will call branches in order of branch directory on the website (BRANCH DIRECTORY – ASALH – The Founders of Black History Month)  Please write down what you plan to share, time your presentation, so we can reach all of the branches.  We want you to hear from each other and see each other; so please, plan to have your camera on when you present.

There are some very important deadlines that are coming up, so the National Membership Committee and Headquarters will make sure we share with you, through email reminders, so you will not miss any of the deadlines.  In this notice we are sharing items for your review.

We will have a representative from the NMC call each Branch President during the month of March to ensure any questions you have are answered.  So we encourage All Branch Members to read this notice and share with your Branch President any items you’d like them to address with us so they will be prepared to share those items when we call.

Please read the following and discuss in your membership meetings.  We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, March 11^th at 8:00 p.m. EST. And again, thanks for your support of the first Black History Month Festival 2021.

PLEASE REVIEW AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY

Branch Financial Reports due March 31st (Sample Report attached for your use.)

• Please send Branch News stories on February events so that they can be posted to the website. All news and events must be submitted using the links on the Branch Informer page. This is the official site to maintain the history of branch events and news.

Branch Informer – ASALH – The Founders of Black History Month

Call for Papers Early Bird Deadline is March 15. The final deadline is April 30.

Special Incentive to Support the Festival Marquee Event

February 20, 2021 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST

Special Incentive:  The ASALH branch with the most Marquee Event participants will be gifted a copy of The Black Church: We Have Come This Far by Faith, by Henry Louis Gates. Your list of participants should include branch members who attend and those referred by branch members who purchased tickets for the Marquee Event. Individuals who call 202.238.5911 to purchase their tickets can have this information recorded in the database during the call.

Branch members will be provided an online form that will be shared in an email on Thursday to provide the names of individuals who have been referred by the branch to purchase tickets to the Marquee event. Thank you for continuing to share ASALH and our exciting Festival events with those you know.

Meeting Agenda, February 11, 2021 

Opening Remarks VP for Membership, Barbara Spencer Dunn

Greetings, President Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham

Awards Committee Chair, Edna Medford

Nominations Committee Chair, Annette Palmer

Membership business:

Membership Recruitment  – Join or Renew here.