Daughters of Hereditary Societies: The Role of the Amateur in Professional Historic Preservation
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Date
2023-03-24
Authors
Vanier, Jolie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Hereditary societies are membership organizations dedicated to the preservation of the memory of particular people or events. This research explored the contribution of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), as an amateur entity, to preservation. A small group of scholars approached the early history of the DAR and similar organizations, and criticized its historic role as a gatekeeper of American history. This research addressed the historic role of the DAR previously explored by other scholars, but further expanded the literature by shedding light on its positive evolution to an organization that supports diverse approaches to genealogy, provides scholarships, engages in educational outreach, and supports historic sites. Hereditary societies are privately formed organizations with a vested interest in historic preservation, and should be used as allies in the advocacy and development of future historic preservation endeavors.
Description
Keywords
Community history, Daughters of the American Revolution, Hereditary Society, Preservation