The DAR Million Members Celebration

I am a DAR. As a Daughter of the American Revolution, I can prove my lineage back to a “patriot” who supported the Cause. This fall, I will become one DAR in a million.

Although the DAR currently has about 185,000 active members worldwide, at some point between now and November the DAR will welcome its one millionth member since the organization was founded in 1890. As this milestone comes, I know what such a celebration provides for the future.

What the DAR Millionth Member Means to Me

First, we’ll get to build on the DAR’s (and my) immense love of education and preservation. Scholarships, grants, and school support for boys and girls come from the DAR. Without the DAR, the Block House at Fort Pitt, PA and the Custom House at Yorktown, VA might not be standing. They are just two examples of historic places the women and chapters of our organization saved, own, and maintain.

Secondly, we are moving into the future as an inclusive organization. It is not religion, politics, or race that define who we are, and this openness fits with who I am. Gone is the privileged DAR featured in movies or shows like the Gilmore Girls. This new DAR is made up of welcoming career women, moms, students, and everyday women who are eager to contribute and get things done.

By comparison, the Sons of the American Revolution has about 35,000 active members. So make no mistake, it’s women getting it done. And soon, we’ll be a million strong.

If you think you might be a DAR, contact a local chapter (search here by zip code) and ask for the Registrar or Membership Chair. They’ll help you with an application. And check out our Facebook Page filled with Million Member Testimonials.

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Reader Insights: I became a DAR while researching my novel, CARRYING INDEPENDENCE. In my travels for research, I kept finding markers at historical sites and upon graves revitalized by DAR chapters. So in addition to researching the book, I researched my own lineage. Although I am Canadian, it was Jacob G. Klock of New York who I proved to be my ancestral patriot. Who is yours?

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