Brian Abel Ragen at the 2009 Dinner of the Heraldry Society in London
(Note Ragen’s table banner, which is the work of Baz Manning.)

A number of societies are devoted to the study and celebration of heraldry, and Ragen is a member of several of them. They sponsor interesting web sites and publications, and their gatherings are full of interesting people.

The Heraldry Society was founded in by J.P. Brooke-Little in 1950 and was part of the mid-twentieth century efflorescence of heraldry that he helped spark. It puts on a regular program of lectures and events and publishes the journal The Coat of Arms and a newsletter, The Heraldry Gazette.

The Heraldry Society of Scotland focuses more closely on the activities of Lyon Court, the heraldic authority that is the envy of many others. It publishes the Double Treasure and a newsletter Tak Tent, as well as a distinguished series of books.

The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada likewise focuses of the developing traditions of Canadian heraldry, which blends English and Scottish traditions with those of new Canadians, both European and Asian, and of the First Nations.

The White Lion Society exists to support the College of Arms. Its gatherings foster good relations between the college and heraldry enthusiasts, and its contributions have done a great deal to assist the college in preserving and expanding its collections.

The American Heraldry Society seeks to foster interest in heraldry and the scholarly study of the subject in the United States. It sponsors an annual award for the best American heraldic design.

The College of Arms Foundation is a charity which facilitates contributions by Americans toward the preservation of the College of Arms and its collections. Thanks to the leadership of noted Heraldist John Shannon, it also sponsors a series of programs in New York City.