daughters of the american revolution

[Anonymous]

12:10 -- I think you have to put together a pretty well documented genealogy. My MIL is a member and really enjoys the annual conference here in DC and some events in her home state. I'm not sure how many participants they have under AARP age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I qualify for DAR too but would not want to join because they have a history of racism and antisemitism. Not sure if they have done anything to address these connotations or not.

any organization older than 50 years old probably has a few black marks. times change. its a very nice group of ladies that do good work and try to help.

Yeah, but they were still blocking admission to black women in the 80's. They were pretty late to the racial equality table.

[Anonymous]

I qualify, too, (also for the one for Civil War vets, as you probably do, too, if your family has been here that long), but it does seem odd to me to celebrate what a PP called an accident of birth. I thought about letting my kids join the children's group to learn some civics, but I decided against it because I did not want them to feel superior to others who don't qualify through no fault of their own. We'll just do our charitable work through other organizations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I qualify, too, (also for the one for Civil War vets, as you probably do, too, if your family has been here that long), but it does seem odd to me to celebrate what a PP called an accident of birth. I thought about letting my kids join the children's group to learn some civics, but I decided against it because I did not want them to feel superior to others who don't qualify through no fault of their own. We'll just do our charitable work through other organizations.

I don't think there is any reason you should feel ashamed of your heritage or superior. Just the way your family has history here, other people have history in other locations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I qualify for DAR too but would not want to join because they have a history of racism and antisemitism. Not sure if they have done anything to address these connotations or not.

any organization older than 50 years old probably has a few black marks. times change. its a very nice group of ladies that do good work and try to help.

Yeah, but they were still blocking admission to black women in the 80's. They were pretty late to the racial equality table.

I'd guess it be pretty hard for most black women to prove citizenship pre-revolution, correct? seriously, how would you? I'm sure many would qualify, but would probably be hard to get the records, etc.

in any event, its a nice old fashioned club for little old ladies to hold tea parties and erect historical markers. I wouldnt take it too seriously either way.

[Anonymous]

My sister & I are members. We joined in our early 30's I think (I'm now late 30's). We are members of the chapter in my home state where my grandmother and aunt are members. I am not able to attend my chapter meetings (or even the state level events) since I live here but that has not been a problem to the chapter.

[Anonymous]

PP again. Forgot to say there is A LOT of paperwork proving your 'blood lines'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I qualify, too, (also for the one for Civil War vets, as you probably do, too, if your family has been here that long), but it does seem odd to me to celebrate what a PP called an accident of birth. I thought about letting my kids join the children's group to learn some civics, but I decided against it because I did not want them to feel superior to others who don't qualify through no fault of their own. We'll just do our charitable work through other organizations.

I don't think there is any reason you should feel ashamed of your heritage or superior. Just the way your family has history here, other people have history in other locations.

I'm one of the PPs again who qualify to join but won't. I don't think there's anything wrong with being proud of your heritage, whatever it is. But when my DC gets all proud of ours, I remind him that everyone's families go back to the very earliest humans, otherwise they wouldn't be here. I think the distinction for groups like this is that they can actually do that -- trace their family lineage as far back as the American Revolution. In other countries, 200 plus years might not even be very far back to go.

[Anonymous]

my great-grandmother was an active member in tennessee and she sponsored the memberships for my grandmother and my mom, neither of whom are active. as i understand it. they wanted to be in it because it is MUCH easier to get in if your mother is already a member and they wanted to preserve the option for future generations. my mom also had a period where she was really into geneology (i can't even spell it!). i have no interest now, but i am only 32...who knows when i am 52. i do think it requires some serious documentation to get in if you don't already have a parent or grandparent as a member.

[Anonymous]

Oh gosh, I don't think I would want to be associated with ANY club with a history of bigotry and discrimination. I certainly hope such membership is not considered exclusive. That is telling of those who want to be members no? I wouldn't even join a country club with such a negative history and association. Scary, indeed.

[Anonymous]

My mother is also a member, prior to her mother's death in 2002, they both spent a lot of time working on the genealogy. I don't really get it myself but I think there was a certain feeling of accomplishment since they had so much research to do. My mother goes to chapter meetings in Florida and although I wouldn't really characterize her as a little old lady, it seems like something that appealed to her more as she got older. I think she enrolled both my kids as junior members although for boys I think it's called Society of Mayflower Descendants or something. Maybe it's the male equivalent of the DAR. My DH has said he finds it very funny since he's black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you qualify to be a member?

Have an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War. I hope you chose your parents carefully.

I am British and have ancestors who fought in the War, albeit on the right side (i.e. not traitors). Would I be eligible to join?

[Anonymous]

I find the whole genealogy thing weird. My mom is a very active member of the Wyckoff Society which celebrates the heritage of the earliest Dutch settlers of New York. I don't think it has the same sort of nativist and racist connotations that the DAR has, but I still find it weird. I have an son by adoption (of a different race than I am) and I have often wondered how they would handle that relationship (hopefully more gracefully than the dotted line mentioned above). I've always resisted my mother's very active efforts to get me to join. Just my two cents.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like a cult. Just saying.

[Anonymous]

Curious about the adopted child question, I googled DAR and found this:

Q. I'm adopted can I still become a member?
A. Yes, but only through your birth parents' lineage, not that of your adopted family. All lineage for DAR membership must be bloodline descent.

The "bloodline" descent requirement is morally disturbing.

Are you sure OP, that you want to join and organization, that in this day and age, still values "bloodline" above other familial ties?