Memorial Project Application
Thank you for taking the time to complete an application for the Black Pearls of Genealogy (BPOG) Memorial Cross and Book Project (s).
Your commitment to honoring the legacy, and preserving the memory of important individuals and events, is commendable. As you complete this application, we value your efforts and thoughts as you share in our mission of memorializing the lives and worthwhile events in our community.
We are excited to review your application. Should your submission be approved, the BPOG team looks forward to working with you from inception to completion of your Memorial Project.
The Black Pearls of Genealogy team thanks you for your submission and your support of our mission.
Step 1: Contact Information for Project Liaison &Team Members
Step 2: Select Which Memorial Best Tells Your Story?
The Cross Memorial serves as a lasting tribute to sacred spaces, religious institutions, and burial grounds that hold deep spiritual and historical significance within our communities. These memorials symbolize reverence for the departed, honor places of worship, and mark cemeteries or sites that have shaped both faith and local history.
The Cross Memorial serves as a lasting tribute to sacred spaces, religious institutions, and burial grounds that hold deep spiritual and historical significance within our communities. These memorials symbolize reverence for the departed, honor places of worship, and mark cemeteries or sites that have shaped both faith and local history.
They stand as visible reminders of the sacred histories woven into our landscapes—stories of resilience, unity, and belief that continue to shape the spiritual fabric of our towns, villages, counties, and states.
The Lost Stories Memorial is dedicated to preserving the memory of overlooked heroes and historically significant sites that have shaped our communities, often without the recognition they deserve. These individuals and places—though not always found in textbooks or national headlines—form the very foundation of our shared history, leaving lasting legacies within our counties, cities, towns, villages, parishes, and states.
This memorial initiative honors a wide range of contributors, from local heroes, inventors, educators, and community leaders to everyday residents whose quiet determination and achievements uplifted their communities. Whether it’s the first African American school, hospital, church, or a groundbreaking local business, these landmarks and individuals are celebrated for their enduring impact.
The Lost Stories Memorial ensures that these untold or forgotten stories are publicly acknowledged, inspiring future generations to recognize the value of local contributions and to understand that history is made not only by those in high office but by ordinary people and hidden places that shape the soul of our nation.
Step 3: Describe Your Project in Detail
Step 4: Memorial Installation Site
Step 5: Engraving
Before a memorial enters its final stage, engraving it is critical to ensure that every word, name, date, and paragraph is spelled correctly and presented exactly as intended. Memorials are permanent tributes, honoring individuals, communities, and historic events. Once engraving begins, changes cannot be made, and errors can lead to disappointment, additional costs, and, most importantly, a lasting misrepresentation of the person or history being honored.
This is the final and most crucial step in the memorial process. It is your opportunity to carefully review all text, spelling, punctuation, and overall presentation to guarantee everything reflects the legacy and respect intended for the memorial.
Why Accuracy Matters:
- ➡️ Memorials are meant to last for generations; inaccuracies diminish their integrity.
- ➡️ Correct spelling and wording show respect for the individual(s) and the community being honored.
- ➡️ Errors are costly to correct, often requiring complete replacement of engraved materials.
- ➡️ Historical accuracy ensures future generations receive the correct information.
Final Approval Means:
- ➡️ Every name is spelled correctly
- ➡️ Dates are verified and accurate
- ➡️ Paragraphs, phrases, and quotes read clearly and respectfully
- ➡️ All punctuation and formatting is consistent
Once engraving starts, the text cannot be changed.
We strongly encourage multiple careful reviews by family members, community representatives, and project coordinators. This ensures the memorial stands as a flawless, respectful, and permanent tribute to the legacy it represents.
We strongly encourage multiple careful reviews by family members, community representatives, and project coordinators. This ensures the memorial stands as a flawless, respectful, and permanent tribute to the legacy it represents.
Shipping and Handling Responsibility:
- ➡️ The applicant and/or their organization shall assume full responsibility for all shipping and handling costs associated with the memorial.
- ➡️ Cross Memorial Shipping and Handling: $1,200
- ➡️ Book Memorial Shipping and Handling: $1,500
Responsibilities of the Project Liaison or Team Leader
The designated Project Liaison or Team Leader will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring the successful execution of all phases related to the memorial installation. Key responsibilities include:
Site Identification and Selection
- ➡️ Research and determine a historically appropriate and respectful location for the placement of the memorial (Cross or Book format).
- ➡️ Ensure the site aligns with the narrative and significance of the individuals or events being honored.
Securing Permissions and Approvals
- ➡️ Initiate and complete all required applications or negotiations to obtain formal permission from the relevant authority, which may include:
- ➡️ City or municipal officials
- ➡️ Private property owners
- ➡️ Historical commissions or preservation boards
- ➡️ Maintain records of all correspondence and approvals for accountability and archival purposes.
Compliance with Guidelines:
- ➡️ I agree to comply with all policies, procedures, and regulations set forth by Black Pearls of Genealogy for the successful execution of the memorial project.
Formal Contract Requirement:
- ➡️ Upon project approval, a formal contract outlining the specific terms of ordering and payment will be provided. This contract must be duly executed by authorized representatives of the applicant or organization before any further actions can be taken.
Disclaimer
By submitting any materials to the Black Pearls of Genealogy (“BPOG”), you agree that your submission is voluntary and may be used for research, historical, and educational purposes. You acknowledge that BPOG will own all rights to any final product created using your submission, and that you will not retain any ownership or receive compensation. Do not submit copyrighted material unless you have the rights to share it.