Daughters of the American Revolution

Daughters of the American Revolution
Edna Barney from Virginia, · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	Daughters of the American Revolution
Caption	Official seal of the DAR
Formation	11 October 1890
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Membership	~185,000
Key people	Eugenia Washington (Founder), Mary Smith Lockwood (Founder)
Website	www.dar.org

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based nonprofit service organization for women who are directly descended from a person who contributed to achieving American independence. Founded in 1890, the DAR has long promoted patriotism, historic preservation, and education. In the context of the Civil rights movement, the DAR's history of racial exclusion, particularly its refusal to allow Marian Anderson to perform at its Constitution Hall in 1939, became a significant flashpoint that highlighted broader societal segregation and helped galvanize the movement for civil rights.

History and founding principles

The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, in Washington, D.C., by Eugenia Washington, Mary Smith Lockwood, Mary Desha, and Ellen Hardin Walworth. The organization was established during a period of heightened interest in genealogy and national heritage following the Centennial celebrations of 1876. Its founding principles, as outlined in its Congressional charter, are historic preservation, promotion of education, and the fostering of patriotic sentiment. Membership has always been restricted to women who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, emphasizing a connection to the nation's foundational era and its Founding Fathers. The DAR's early work involved marking Revolutionary War sites and supporting schools for pioneer communities.

Organizational structure and activities

The DAR is structured with a National Society headquartered at Memorial Continental Hall in Washington, D.C., overseeing a network of chapters in all fifty states and several foreign countries. The organization is led by a nationally elected President General and operates through numerous national committees. Its primary activities revolve around its three-part mission: historical projects, educational support, and patriotic endeavor. Key programs include providing scholarships, awarding medals for good citizenship, maintaining a vast genealogical library at the DAR Library in Washington, and supporting veterans. The DAR also owns and maintains several historic properties, such as the Octagon House in Washington, D.C.

Relationship to civil rights and racial exclusion

The DAR's relationship to the civil rights movement is most famously defined by the 1939 incident involving Marian Anderson, the renowned African American contralto. The organization refused to allow Anderson to perform at DAR Constitution Hall due to its racially exclusive policy, a decision that drew widespread condemnation. In response, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a DAR member, publicly resigned in protest and helped arrange for Anderson's historic Easter Sunday concert at the Lincoln Memorial. This event, attended by over 75,000 people, became a seminal moment in the pre-civil rights era, symbolizing the struggle against Jim Crow laws and institutional racism. The DAR officially rescinded its exclusionary policy in 1952, but the episode remains a critical part of its historical legacy within the narrative of American civil rights.

Notable members and leadership

Throughout its history, the DAR has counted many prominent American women among its members. Several First Ladies have been members, including Caroline Harrison, Edith Roosevelt, Lou Henry Hoover, and Grace Coolidge. Other notable historical members include Susan B. Anthony, a leader in the women's suffrage movement, and Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. In the 20th century, influential members included journalist Ida Tarbell and astronaut Eileen Collins. The organization's leadership, particularly its President General, has often been drawn from women with significant social or political standing, reinforcing the DAR's role as an establishment institution within American society.

Cultural and educational impact

The DAR has exerted a considerable cultural and educational influence, primarily through its emphasis on American heritage and civic education. It sponsors annual essay contests for youth, such as the American History Essay Contest, and provides substantial support to schools, including Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Alabama. The organization's museum in Washington, D.C., houses an extensive collection of early American decorative arts. Furthermore, the DAR's genealogical resources are among the most significant in the nation, aiding scholarly and personal research into American family history. These efforts have consistently promoted a traditional narrative of American history and national identity.

Modern role and public perception

In the modern era, the Daughters of the American Revolution continues its core mission with a membership of approximately 185,000. It actively engages in community service, support for the U.S. military, and Constitutional education programs. Public perception of the DAR is complex, often viewed through the dual lens of its substantial philanthropic and educational contributions and its historical legacy of racial exclusion. While the organization has worked to become more inclusive and address its past, it remains, by its very nature, an institution focused on hereditary lineage, which can appear at odds with contemporary egalitarian values. The DAR's ongoing work in promoting Americanism and preserving history ensures it remains a recognizable, if sometimes debated, fixture in American civic life.