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
Abbreviation	DAR
Formation	October 11, 1890
Founder	Eugenia Washington, Mary Desha, Mary Smith Lockwood, Ellen Hardin Walworth
Type	Lineage-based non-profit
Headquarters	DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.
Membership	~ 185,000
Website	www.dar.org

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' struggle for independence. Founded in 1890, the DAR has long promoted historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Its history is deeply intertwined with the American Civil Rights Movement, primarily through its early and mid-20th century policies of racial exclusion and its subsequent, often reluctant, engagement with the changing social landscape, making it a significant case study in institutional resistance to and eventual accommodation of civil rights.

Founding and early history

The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, in Washington, D.C. by four women: Eugenia Washington, Mary Desha, Mary Smith Lockwood, and Ellen Hardin Walworth. The organization was established during a period of heightened interest in American ancestry and national identity following the Centennial Exposition of 1876. A primary catalyst was the founding of the all-male Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) in 1889, which initially excluded women from membership. The DAR's founders sought to create a parallel patriotic society that would allow women to contribute to the public commemoration of the American Revolution. The organization was officially incorporated by an Act of Congress in 1896. Its early activities focused on compiling genealogical records, marking historical sites, and supporting the construction of memorials. The DAR quickly grew into a powerful national network, establishing its headquarters at Memorial Continental Hall, which later became part of the complex that includes DAR Constitution Hall.

Membership and organizational structure

Membership in the DAR is restricted to women aged 18 and older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. Acceptable service includes military service in the Continental Army or state militias, as well as civil service such as holding public office, providing material aid, or signing oaths of allegiance. The organization is structured with a strong national leadership, headed by a President General, and is divided into state organizations and local chapters. The National Society oversees all activities and maintains a massive genealogical research library in Washington, D.C. For much of its history, the DAR's membership policies and chapter practices effectively excluded African Americans, even those who could prove revolutionary ancestry, reflecting the pervasive Jim Crow segregation of the era. This structural and social barrier became a central point of conflict during the Civil Rights Movement.

Role in historic preservation and education

The DAR has been a major force in American historic preservation and patriotic education. Its members have been instrumental in identifying, marking, and restoring thousands of historical sites across the United States, from battlefields to birthplaces. The organization founded and continues to support schools for underprivileged communities, primarily in Appalachia and for Native American children, such as the Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Alabama. It also sponsors annual essay contests for youth, provides scholarships, and maintains an extensive genealogical research facility, the DAR Library, which is a premier resource for family history research. These educational and preservation efforts have often been presented as non-political contributions to national heritage, though they existed alongside the organization's exclusionary social policies.

Controversies and civil rights

The DAR's history is marked by significant controversies related to race and civil rights. The most famous incident occurred in 1939 when the organization refused to allow world-renowned African-American contralto Marian Anderson to perform at DAR Constitution Hall because of its "white artists only" policy. This decision prompted First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a DAR member, to publicly resign in protest. In a powerful response, with support from the Roosevelt administration, Anderson performed instead on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday to an integrated crowd of over 75,000 people, an event widely seen as a seminal moment in the pre-Civil Rights Movement. The DAR later reversed its policy and invited Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall in 1943 and 1953. However, the organization maintained segregated chapters and resisted integration for decades thereafter, facing internal dissent and external pressure from activists.

Relationship with the civil rights movement

Throughout the peak years of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, the DAR's national leadership largely represented a conservative, status-quo viewpoint that was at odds with the movement's goals. While individual members may have held varying opinions, the organization as an institution was slow to change. It did not officially desegregate its chapters until after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The push for integration came from both external legal and social pressures and from within, as some members advocated for change. The DAR's relationship with the movement is thus characterized by institutional resistance followed by gradual, pragmatic compliance with federal law and evolving national norms, rather than proactive leadership on issues of racial equality.

Modern activities and public perception

In contemporary times, the Daughters of the American Revolution has worked to broaden its public image and focus on its core missions of historic preservation, education, and patriotism. It has actively recruited new, younger members and has made efforts to be more inclusive, though membership still requires proven lineal descent. The organization publicly emphasizes its support for the United States Constitution and the U.S. military. It continues its significant philanthropic work, supporting schools, awarding scholarships, and maintaining its historic properties and library. Public perception of the DAR remains complex; it is respected for its genealogical and preservation work but is also remembered for its historical role in racial segregation. The DAR's evolution mirrors broader American struggles with heritage, memory, and equality.