A Message from the Chair
The Richard III Society (American Branch) is an association of volunteer members linked together by an interest in England's fifteenth century. Some of us are academics, but most of us are lay folk who have come to have an interest in the period through travel, the reading of literature or history, school courses, or other avenues. It is the intention of the Society to be as inclusive as possible, built around a continuing curiosity about the enigma that is King Richard III.

The Society maintains a library of fiction and non-fiction literature, together with some video and audio materials, all of which can be borrowed by members of the Society. There is also an Annual General Meeting, known in Society jargon as the AGM, which is held as near as possible to the anniversary of King Richard's birthday of 2 October 1452. All members are welcome to participate in the AGM workshops, business meeting, and social events. At the most recent AGM, Dr. Lorraine Attreed, noted professor of medieval history at the College of the Holy Cross and devoted Ricardian, gave the keynote address.  Other highlights included a dramatic reading of Petitions, a Ricardian play written by board member and playwright Maria Torres; a presentation on medieval puppeteering by Elizabeth Wadsworth; and the varied experiences of historical novelists (and dealing with publishers and deadlines) by members and authors Anne Easter Smith and Sandra Worth.  (All this means that if you were not able to attend the 2007 AGM, you missed out on a treasure of Ricardian wit and wisdom).

Members of the American Branch receive The Ricardian, an annual journal published by the parent society in England, The Ricardian Bulletin, the parent society's quarterly newsmagazine, and The Ricardian Register, a quarterly publication of the American Branch. These publications are instructive, and help members to know what is happening in the Ricardian world. Members of the Society are also able to purchase through the Sales Office (by mail or at meetings) books, articles, and other Ricardian materials.

There also exist in some parts of the United States local chapters of the Society, whose members gather for programs and social events. The chapters are a nice supplement for some Ricardians to membership in the American Branch of the Society. Our newest chapter is the New Mexico Chapter of the Richard III Society.

The Richard III Society (American Branch) is dedicated to being a bridge between academics and non-academics who have an interest in things Ricardian.

The American Branch helps sponsor a variety of Ricardian projects and gatherings.  I hope you join us in the fellowship of history, mystery, and theater, as we band together to increase our understanding of this fascinating and turbulent period.

Loyaulté me lie,
Wayne Ingalls, Chair, American Branch