A message from the President General
“Dear Daughters,
The 135th Continental Congress brought DAR members from around the world together for a week of ceremony, business, fellowship, recognition, and service to our shared mission. There is much to report from Continental Congress, and additional updates, photographs, and highlights from the week will be shared with members in the days ahead.
Among the matters before the voting members was a chapter-proposed resolution concerning membership eligibility, which received attention both within and beyond our National Society. On Friday, June 26, 2026, after hours of earnest debate and the careful counting of every hard-copy ballot, the resolution was not adopted. The question was a significant one, and members on both sides approached it with conviction and a sincere commitment to the DAR.
Throughout the proceedings, the vast majority of those present conducted themselves with the seriousness, patience, and respect that have long characterized this National Society. While emotions surrounding this issue have at times been deeply felt, every member deserves to be treated with dignity and courtesy. That dignity does not depend on how any of us voted, nor is it ours to withhold. To any member who has felt discouraged or unwelcome: you are, and remain, a valued Daughter.
The question was put to the assembly, and the assembly answered. The decision of the voting members reflects the considered judgment of the membership assembled at the Continental Congress, and it deserves our respect. It does not divide us into those who prevailed and those who did not. We remain one National Society, united not by agreement on every issue but by a shared mission – to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism, and to honor the women and men whose sacrifices secured American independence. That mission is larger than any single vote, and it asks something of us now: to extend to one another the same respect we extend to the memory of those who came before us.
As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence, we are reminded that enduring institutions are sustained by a commitment to principle, thoughtful deliberation, and respect for one another, even in moments of disagreement. Having fulfilled our responsibility as a deliberative body, we now turn together to the work that has always defined the DAR.
We move forward as one National Society, united in purpose and committed to the mission that has guided us for 135 years. Thank you for your continued service, your devotion to the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and your commitment to one another.
Ginnie Sebastian Storage
President General”
