Everyone in the United States has heard of the D.A.R., Daughters of the American Revolution. It has been made fun of in movies, television, and books for years, though the reality if much different from the stereotype of the stuck up, elitist women. Well, at least the DAR members I have met don’t meet the stereotype. They are fun, compassionate, and caring people, truly dedicated to preservation of the past and determination to lead into the future.

Recently I learned of the S.A.R, Sons of the American Revolution. Like the DAR, their membership qualifications require you be a direct descendant of someone who fought in the American Revolutionary War (1774-1783) and be able to prove it.

Both groups have frequent meetings, conferences and conventions, raising money for good causes including their own, and they help to perpetuate the history of the US American Revolution. Of most interest to me are their genealogy programs.

The SAR Genealogy Events and Programs showcase a wide range of genealogy classes and workshops such as the October 2006 Mexico SAR Society’s “Seminar on the Beach” in Mazatlan, Mexico, and the National SAR Genealogy Seminar in Dallas TX on Friday, July 7, 2006, one day before the SAR Annual Congress begins.

The DAR Genealogical Library is extensive and packed with a lot of information to help you track down your ancestors, specifically associated with the American Revolutionary War times. They also offer a variety of listing of events at the DAR National Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are many DAR Chapters for you to get involved locally and attend the many workshops and programs the local chapters have to offer on genealogy.