DAR encourages Americans to explore their family history and connections to the Revolution
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — While the entire nation will join together to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence this week on the Fourth of July, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and its 190,000 members have been commemorating the milestone with planning and initiatives that began nearly 10 years ago with activities focusing on DAR’s mission of historical preservation, education and patriotism.
“As we mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation, the DAR’s priority has been to support activities promoting the history of our country leading up to and throughout 2026,” said Ginnie Sebastian Storage, DAR President General. “Our DAR chapters across the country have delivered education programs, dedicated markers, supported veteran initiatives, sponsored celebrations, and shared the stories of their own Revolutionary War Patriots – all with the goal of helping local communities honor the sacrifices made 250 years ago in our fight for independence.”
Throughout the last few years, the DAR has undertaken many impactful America 250 initiatives including:
- Becoming an Official Partner of the Semiquincentennial Commission: otherwise known as America250, the non-partisan commission has been leading celebrations nationwide for years. The DAR specifically collaborates with the America Gives initiative of the America250 commission, which is established around volunteer service and other ways the country can give back during this important time.
- Sponsoring DAR America 250! Celebration Grants for DAR Chapters: across the country community celebrations, educational programs, and patriotic gatherings have been made possible with DAR grant funding. During the last four years, the National Society DAR has awarded 2,081 grants for a total of $1.1 million dollars. Coupled with chapter financing, these grassroot efforts of over $6.2 million dollars have impacted local communities by bringing neighbors together to share stories and ideals that unite us as Americans.
- Collaborating with the American Battlefield Trust on a Travelling Exhibit: The American Revolution Experience has crisscrossed the country since 2024. Hosted by DAR chapters, the interactive exhibit has been displayed in thousands of locations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia for visitors to encounter the powerful, immersive stories of ordinary individuals who achieved the extraordinary in the fight for American independence. Due to popular demand, the exhibit has been extended through 2027.
- Awarding 10 Individual $25,000 DAR America 250! Scholarships: presented to 10 American history students from Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Texas, these generous scholarships will help undergraduate and graduate students further their studies and develop the next generation of history scholars.
- Sponsoring the Acclaimed PBS Documentary Series, The American Revolution: DAR was proud to support the film on several PBS stations around the country in November 2025. DAR chapters and members also hosted watch parties, used the documentary as educational programing, and shared their own stories that mirrored documentary portrayals to highlight their everyday Revolutionary War Patriots who helped secure American independence.
- Hosting a Public America’s 250th Birthday Party: at DAR National Headquarters on the anniversary of the day Paul Revere and other Patriots began their late-night rides to warn the Minutemen of British troop movements, this special event featured historic exhibits, family-friendly activities, a Martha Washington historic interpreter, party games with a patriotic twist, and of course, birthday cupcakes.
- Saluting American Military Women Past and Present: DAR hosted a concert by legendary vocalist Patti LaBelle in historic DAR Constitution Hall to celebrate military women; DAR presented $650,000 in grants that evening to organizations serving female veterans.
- Unveiling the DAR Museum’s Newest Exhibition in 2026, Revolution in Their Words: the exhibit examines the nation’s founding through the firsthand accounts of those who lived it. Drawing on the DAR’s extensive collection of artifacts and manuscripts, as well as loans from other museums, the exhibition presents a wide range of perspectives from the decades before, during, and after the War for Independence. Complementing the main gallery exhibit, Preserving Patriotism: The Declaration of Independence and Its Legacy at DAR, is on view in the DAR Museum’s Study Gallery, featuring the signatures of all 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
- Hosting a two-day symposium, Spain and the Birth of American Democracy: in partnership with the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute (QSSI), the symposium profiled Spain’s role in the birth of American democracy.
- Placing DAR America 250 Patriot Markers in Every State: to mark the Semiquincentennial, DAR states and chapters placed 485 America 250 Patriot Markers at historic sites, parks, cemeteries, and battlefields to ensure the men and women who secured our independence are honored for future generations.
- Donating $2 Million As a Gift to the Nation: as the foundational Legacy Leader of the Trust for the National Mall’s Cherry Tree Endowment, DAR’s contribution to preserving the iconic cherry trees on the National Mall was celebrated with a special float at the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
- Continuing to Expand Resources to Ensure All Patriots are Honored: Through the DAR’s E Pluribus Unum Educational Initiative, and the establishment of the 250 for the 250th Committee, which has worked to identify and document new Revolutionary War Patriots who were female, African American, French Canadian, and Spanish, the DAR has expanded additional genealogical avenues for women today who are interested in tracing their roots back to the American Revolution and considering membership in the DAR.
Watch this DAR America 250! video highlighting some of the many initiatives that the National Society and DAR members around the world have organized as part of the Daughters of the American Revolution celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
“These experiences, events, and initiatives at our DAR National Headquarters and in local chapters nationwide shine a spotlight on the origin story of our country. We hope all of this excitement inspires people to explore their own family history with the help of DAR’s many genealogy resources,” said Storage.
Learn more about your own family history with DAR’s free resources at: www.dar.org/DiscoverYourFamilyStory.
More information about DAR’s work to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and a searchable database with local DAR commemorative events around the country is available at: www.dar.org/America250.
About the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to preserve the memory and spirit of those who contributed to securing American independence. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. Through the DAR Genealogical Research System (www.dar.org/GRS), the public can access a free database of information amassed by the DAR about these Patriots. One of the largest patriotic women’s service organizations in the world, DAR has 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.
Media Contact:
Daughters of the American Revolution
Bren Landon
202-572-0563
blandon@dar.org
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SOURCE Daughters of the American Revolution
