![]() | |
| Named after | American Revolution |
|---|---|
| Established | April 30, 1889 (136 years ago) (1889-04-30)[1] |
| Founded at | New York City[2] |
| Type | Patrioticorganization |
| 53-0116355[3] | |
| Legal status | Federally charterednonprofitcorporation[4] |
| Purpose | Patriotic,historical,charitable,educational[5] |
| Headquarters | 809 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°15′28″N85°45′49″W / 38.25778°N 85.76361°W /38.25778; -85.76361 |
Region served | Worldwide |
| Membership | 38,323 (2022) |
Official language | English |
President General | Michael J. Elston |
Publication | SAR Magazine[6] Spirit of '76[a] |
| Affiliations | Daughters of the American Revolution Children of the American Revolution |
| Website | sar.org |
TheSons of the American Revolution (SAR), formally theNational Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), is afederally charteredpatrioticorganization. The National Society, anonprofitcorporation headquartered inLouisville, Kentucky,[8] was formed inNew York City on April 30, 1889.[9] Its objectives are to maintain and extend "the institutions of American freedom, an appreciation for true patriotism, a respect for our national symbols, the value of American citizenship, [and] the unifying force of 'e pluribus unum' that has created, from the people of many nations, one nation and one people."[10]
The members of the society are male descendants of people who served in theAmerican Revolutionary War or who contributed to establishing the independence of the United States. It is dedicated to perpetuating American ideals and traditions, and to protecting theUnited States Constitution. The official recognition ofConstitution Day,Flag Day, andBill of Rights Day were established through its efforts. The society has members in the United States,Canada,France,Germany,Spain,Switzerland, and theUnited Kingdom.
The organization is distinct from theSons of the Revolution, a separate patriotic organization founded on February 22, 1876, by businessmanJohn Austin Stevens and members of theSociety of the Cincinnati. Sons of the American Revolution founderWilliam Osborn McDowell disagreed with the Sons of the Revolution requirement at that time that all state societies were to be subordinate to the New York Society.
This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |

The first organization of descendants of Revolutionary War patriots was established inSan Francisco, in 1876. A group of men who were descendants of American Revolutionary War veterans gathered to celebrate thecentennial of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States. They also wanted to honor the men and women who pledged their lives, fortunes, and livelihood to the striving for independence from Great Britain. This group formed an organization called the Sons of Revolutionary War Sires. There is, however, no direct link between the Sons of Revolutionary War Sires and the Sons of the American Revolution except that members of the Sons of Revolutionary War Sires were permitted to join the Sons of the American Revolution after its founding in 1889.
The organization's founding can be traced to the Sons of the Revolution, a New York City society that was organized in 1876. Sons of the Revolution was founded by John Austin Stevens, who envisioned an aristocratic social and hereditary organization along the lines of theSociety of the Cincinnati.
In 1889, William O. McDowell, a New Jersey financier and businessman, organized the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the Revolution but was unwilling to accept the Sons of the Revolution's requirement that other state societies be subordinate to the New York society. McDowell also wanted the society to become more of a mass movement of descendants of Revolutionary patriots rather than an exclusive social club.
McDowell organized the Sons of the American Revolution atFraunces Tavern in New York City, on April 30, 1889, the same year as the centennial anniversary of thefirst inauguration of George Washington as the nation's first president in 1789. McDowell was the organization's first member. In addition to organizing the Sons of the American Revolution, McDowell worked with six women to organizeDaughters of the American Revolution, a national organization for women who descend fromAmerican Revolution era figures.
On June 9, 1906, Sons of the American Revolution was formally granted acongressional charter by anact of Congress underTitle 36 of the United States Code. The act was signed by U.S. PresidentTheodore Roosevelt, who was a member.

The society's insignia consists of aMaltese cross surrounded by a garland, with a relief ofGeorge Washington in a center circle. The Maltese cross used in the Badge of the Sons of the American Revolution draws its inspiration from the cross used by theOrder of St. Louis of France. The wreath symbolizes the laurel wreaths presented to worthy individuals by the Roman Republic. Major West selected the Cross of St. Louis as his basis for the decoration becauseKing Louis XVI of France, the Grand Master of the Order of St. Louis, provided badly needed aid to the fledgling Continentals. In choosing this cross, the National Society intended to recognize the French contribution to American independence.
History shows that the Maltese Cross was used by theKnights of St. John, a brotherhood of warrior Crusaders who represented all walks of life who banded together to fight for freedom and against oppression. The Knights of St. John, and other Crusaders, adopted the Maltese cross as their insignia because its eight points represented the eight Beatitudes prescribed in the Sermon on the Mount: blessed are (1) the poor in spirit, (2) the meek, (3) the pure, (4) the merciful, and (5) the peacemakers, (6) blessed are they that mourn, and (7) seek righteousness, and (8) blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake.
Surrounding the relief of Washington in the center are the words "LIBERTAS ET PATRIA", a reminder of theUnited States Declaration of Independence and theUnited States Constitution.[11][better source needed]
The insignia is normally worn suspended by a ribbon of blue, white and gold (buff) on the wearer's left breast. National officers and former state and chapter presidents wear the insignia suspended from a neck ribbon of the Society's colors. On other occasions a rosette in the Society's colors is worn on the wearers left lapel.[citation needed]

The society is involved in historical research, raising funds for local scholarships and educational awards, and preservation of sites and documents related to the American Revolution. The Sons of the American Revolution petitioned Congress to store Revolutionary era documents in a fire-proof area and make them available to the public, leading to the creation of theNational Archives.[12] It is also active in cataloging and marking Revolutionary War patriot graves and conducts an annualEagle Scout scholarship program. The society is active in promoting "patriotism", and was instrumental in the establishment ofConstitution Day.[13] Numerous Sons of the American Revolution societies and chapters have activecolor guard groups that appear in various public and private venues as a means of community outreach.[citation needed]
The Sons of the American Revolution hosts two Leadership Meetings and one National Congress every year. The two leadership meetings are held in the Spring and Fall in Louisville, KY at the Brown Hotel. The National Congress is held at a different location every year during the Summer; recent locations include:Renton, Washington (2021),Savannah, Georgia (2022),Orlando, Florida (2023) andLancaster, Pennsylvania (2024).[citation needed]
This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Sons of the American Revolution" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(September 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |

The headquarters, located along Museum Row in downtownLouisville, Kentucky, contains the organization's administrative staff offices, Sons of the American Revolution Genealogical Research Library, and the future site of anAmerican Revolutionary War Education Center. The SAR is currently raising funds to finish the center's development. The building houses original and copied art that commemorates important people and events of the Revolutionary War, as well as historical uniforms, flags, documents, and other colonial era pieces.
The governance of the SAR is made up of ten national officers, 15 vice presidents that preside over separate geographical regions, and one trustee, who is elected from each state and international society. The officers meet several times over the year to discuss business pertaining to the society. National Officers meet at least four times during their term of office, unless special meetings are called. Trustees meet twice annually at the society's headquarters inLouisville, Kentucky. These meetings, known as the Fall and Spring Leadership Meetings, are normally held in late September and early March. During leadership meetings, committee recommendations and the society's budget are approved. While only national officers, vice presidents, and trustees have the right to vote on the floor, all members are invited to attend and may request appointment to committees.
National officers and trustees also meet during the National Congress, which is held in late June or early July of each year. Unlike the leadership meetings, which always take place at the Society's national headquarters, the National Congress is held in different locations throughout the United States. Locations are often selected in order to honor a historical event in United States history or in the organization's history, and there is an effort to alternate the meetings between the East and West coasts of the United States. The National Congress is responsible for electing national officers and approving changes to the society's constitution, along with any other motions brought before it.
The organization also maintains over 60 standing and special committees that Sons of the American Revolution members are appointed to in order to oversee the society's welfare, including committees on facilities, insurance, genealogy, library, merchandise, medals, and awards. All members are welcome to participate on committees and are appointed by the society's president general for a one-year term. There are no term-limits and all committee members have the right to vote on the committee's decisions.
The current President General is Darryl Addington, M.D., North Carolina Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, who was sworn in as President General at the 134th National Congress inLancaster, Pennsylvania. The organization's executive director is Todd Bale.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution has held a collection of genealogical reference dating back to 1889. Materials were originally kept by the Secretary General or Registrar General up until 1926, when the materials were moved to the Registrar General's office in Washington, D.C., in 1927, this collection was moved to the recently purchased Sixteenth Street Headquarters Building, and the collection had grown to 914 books by 1933. From this point until the move of Headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Louisville, Kentucky, the book collection grew at a rapid pace, growing to approximately 25,000 items by 1988. At this point, the Library was on the Second floor of the Headquarters building on South Fourth Street, and possessed a 544-square-foot vault for books not out in the library due to space.
Because of continuing growth, the Sons of the American Revolution Library was moved in 2010 to a renovated building on West Main Street in the heart of theHistoric Museum District ofdowntown Louisville. By this point, the Library collection had grown to over 58,000 items, mostly covering the Revolutionary War period, but also containing other genealogical materials. The library collection includes family histories, state genealogy materials, federal censuses, Revolutionary War pension applications, and CD collections, and the library separates materials based on State. The library also provides access to online research databases, includingAncestry.com, Footnote.com, and Heritage Quest Online.
It was supported by several other patriotic societies, including the Society of American Wars and theUnited States Daughters of 1812.[14]: 115 TheDaughters of the American Revolution stocked it in its library and even considered merging it with another of its own magazines.[14]: 115 It ceased publication in 1906.[14]: 115

Membership in the society is open to any male of "good repute"[15] who can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who actively supported theAmerican Revolution.[16] Acceptable ancestors include:
No state society or chapter may discriminate against an applicant on the basis of race or creed. The Sons of the American Revolution claims a membership of over 37,000 members in over 550 chapters representing all 50 states in theUnited States, as well as societies inCanada,France,Spain,Germany,Switzerland, and theUnited Kingdom. Overall, about 200,000 descendants have been admitted since the founding of the S.A.R. in 1890.[citation needed]
The official publication of the society is theSAR Magazine, released quarterly in February, May, August, and November.[17] It covers "SAR society news at all levels and scopes" and features articles on "patriotic, historic and educational topics."[17]
Prior to theSAR Magazine, the journal of the organization at the turn of the 20th century was theSpirit of '76 magazine, alittle magazine published in New York.[14]: 114–115 It was founded in September 1894, published by the eponymous Spirit of '76 Publishing Company and edited by Henry Hall, one of McDowell's associates.[14]: 114 In 1897 Louis H. Cornish, previously the editor of another magazine titledSuburbs that was about real estate in New York City, took over as both editor and publisher.[14]: 114 Cornish's opinion of McDowell, who in Cornish's words "came to us with various schemes of making the world better, and we entered into them and have since paid for it" was that McDowell's ideas for the magazine were enthusiastic but wildly impractical.[14]: 115 [18]: 358
This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)