BYLAWS OF THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN GENEALOGICAL
SOCIETY OF MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be known as the African American Genealogical Society of Milwaukee. In this document, it shall be referred to as "The Society"
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose of this organization is to preserve and perpetuate the records of our black ancestors, and to encourage contemporary and future African Americans to preserve records of their families and their community.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Qualifications For Membership
Membership is open to any person who is genuinely interested in African American Genealogy and/or in the research of historical accounts of the African-American experience. Membership in The Society shall not be denied because of race, color, creed, religion, sex age, or national origin. Membership in the society is renewable annually.
Revocations Of Membership
A member shall have his/her membership revoked from The Society for actions considered detrimental towards the Society.
Any member who, according to a majority vote of dues paying members, has violated The Society’s Code Of Ethics, Shall have the opportunity to present his/her case to the membership at some time prior to any vote concerning the revocation of his/her membership.
ARTICLE IV
Dues
The Society shall require dues for membership. The membership through a majority vote shall determine the amount of dues set for The Society. New membership fees shall be due and payable upon application, and thereafter, on their anniversary dates.
ARTICLE V
Officers
The officers of The Society, shall be made up of the following positions: The President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer.
Eligibility
To be eligible to hold an elected office in The Society, a member must:
Be Financial, (current in his/her dues)
Have been in regular attendance, being present at least two-thirds of the regular meetings for at least one year.
Be actively engaged in genealogy and/or historical research and/or training.
Duties Of Officers
The President Shall:
Preside at all regular meetings of The Society
Supervise the affairs of The Society
Serve as The Society’s Official Liaison to other genealogical or historical societies
Exercise all powers and duties generally pertaining to his office
Appoint committee chairs
Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee
The Vice-president shall:
Perform the duties of the President in case of absence or disability of the President
Conduct conferences and workshops on genealogy
Correlate genealogical research of The Society
The Secretary shall:
Record and maintain the minutes of the regular meetings of The Society
Send notices of regular Society meetings to the membership, seven (7) days prior to the scheduled meeting date
Conduct correspondence of The Society
Incorporate a copy of the financial report from the Treasurer, in the monthly minutes
The Treasurer shall:
Collect annual dues for membership, receive all monetary donations and awards made to The Society
Collect monetary proceeds from any Society event or sale
Deposit funds on a monthly basis
Maintain accurate financial records of the fiscal transactions of The Society
Settle accounts duly authorized for settlement
Serve as chair of the Budget Committee
Report on the financial status of The Society at regular meetings of The Society
Notify members of annual dues payment
Provide a signed financial report to the secretary
Term Of Office
Each elected officer shall serve, at the pleasure of The Society, for a period of two (2) years.
Vacancies
If the office of the President or Vice-president becomes vacant, the Vice-president and Secretary shall assume the position vacated, Vice-president assuming the role of the President, and the Secretary, assuming the role of Vice-president. Vacancies below Vice-president shall be filled at the approval of the membership body, for the duration of the unexpired term.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
The Society shall meet monthly, or as agreed upon by the membership. Additional meetings may be called by the President, or a majority vote of the membership body. The meetings of The Society shall be governed by Robert’s Rules Of Order. A quorum is 1/3 of The Society’s members.
ARTICLE VII
Bylaws
Bylaws of The Society shall be adopted or amended by a simple majority of votes by the
members present.
Proposals to amend the bylaws may be initiated by a duly constituted committee of The Society, or any member of The Society. Such proposals must be in writing, and if initiated by an individual member, they shall be signed by at least four (4) other members in good standing and eligible to vote.
Copies of the proposed changes or amendments shall be delivered to the Secretary for distribution to all members of The Society. No vote shall be taken until at least thirty (30) days after copies of such proposed changes or amendments have been made available to all members.
A two-thirds membership vote must be taken to pass the proposal. If two-thirds membership is not present, the proposal shall be tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting, at which time the proposal shall be voted upon, provided there is a quorum to hold a meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
Committees
The Society’s Standing Committees and their functions are as follows:
1. Archives Committee shall set up and maintain an archive for The Society, to maintain records of Society activities, and collect biographical and genealogical information on each society member.
2. Genealogical Research and Training Committee shall establish workshops for The Society members, to aid and enhance their ability to conduct genealogical research.
3. Budget Committee shall establish a financial plan for The Society’s revenues and expenditures
4. Membership/Fellowship Committee shall welcome all new members, inform The Society of illness and other emergency needs of The Society members, and others. Send cards and letters to members and others. A Proclamation will be given to the family from the Society at the death of a member. In case of the death of a member’s immediate family (mother, father, spouse, child), a card will be sent. Compile and maintain a membership list, and issue membership cards. Explain privileges and obligations of membership.
5. Publications committee shall be responsible for continuous publications of The Society, special monographs, papers, memoirs, books, and photographs, and notification to the media.
The Society’s Non-Standing Committee, and its functions:
Shall be instituted five (5) months prior to an election
Receive all nominations for office
Ensure that all nominees are qualified to run for office
Shall oversee the election of officers
The committee shall be dissolved once the election has been completed
The committee shall be given a budget
The committee shall be composed of at least two members from the Membership/Fellowship Committee
Committee Membership
Membership on committees is open to all members of The Society.
The Treasurer shall assume the Chair of the Budget Committee.
The President shall appoint the Chairs of the committees when there are no volunteers, with the exception of the Budget Committee.
Committee Chairs shall remain in said positions until such time as they are removed by the membership for actions unbecoming to that position or The Society.
Committees shall remain in effect until such time that there is no longer a need for said
committee.
ARTICLE IX
Elections
Members running for office shall not be appointed to the election Committee
The committee shall be given a list of each elected officer’s duties and the names of all members eligible to hold elected office.
The committee shall actively solicit from eligible members, nominees for each elected office and the committee shall accept nominations for elected offices.
The election Committee shall report to The Society two (2) months prior to the election, the slate of candidates for elected offices.
Those persons who consent to serve, shall have their names placed on an election ballot
under the office(s) for which they were nominated, and in the order in which their
nomination was received.
Balloting shall be held at the regular September meeting.
Absentee ballots shall be available upon request. They must be returned to the Nominating Committee prior to the election.
Officers shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the number of ballots cast in the
election.
Only members who are current in their dues are eligible to vote.
If there is a tie for an elected office, there shall be a second vote.
The results of the election shall be given immediately at the September meeting.
Newly elected officers shall begin their term with the October meeting.
ARTICLE X
Requirements of Section 501(c)(3)
PURPOSE CLAUSE: The Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Inurement of Income: No part of the net earnings of The Society shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons except that The Society shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.
LEGISLATIVE or POLITICAL ACTIVITIES: No substantial part of the activities of The Society shall be the carrying of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and The Society shall not participate in or intervene (Including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of the candidate for public office.
OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS: Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, The Society shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal Income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
DISSOLUTION CLAUSE: Upon the dissolution of The Society, The Society shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all the assets of The Society exclusively for the purposes of The Society in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Trustees shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of The Society is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
ARTICLE XI
Fiscal Year
Due to the newly elected officials taking office in October, the fiscal year will be 1 October to 30 September of the following year.
These Bylaws having been duly amended are presented to the Society for approval on
21 October, 2000.
These amended Bylaws having been presented to The Society for approval are here-by adopted this 15th day of December, 2000.
Cassandra L. Brooks, Secretary
_________________________________________
Richard O. Cantu, Treasurer