PBS series inspires St. Joseph Daughters of American Revolution to highlight ancestors
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A local nonprofit will be sharing the stories of its Revolutionary War ancestors in tandem with a new PBS documentary series on the American Revolution.
The history of the Revolutionary War will be on full display as part of a 6-part, 12-hour documentary series on PBS directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, titled "The American Revolution."
The series tells the story of the thirteen American colonies uniting in rebellion to win an eight-year war to secure their independence, following dozens of Revolutionary War era figures from a wide variety of backgrounds along the way.
DAR members of the St. Joseph Chapter descend from Revolutionary War Patriots like those highlighted in the documentary. To be a member of DAR, a person must be able to trace their lineage back to a man or woman who contributed to securing American independence.
In celebration of the series, local DAR members are sharing stories of their Revolutionary War ancestors at monthly chapter meetings moving forward. Members hope the documentary will inspire those in St. Joseph and surrounding communities to find their own personal connection to a patriot of the American Revolution.
The series is set to conclude Friday, Nov. 21, however, all episodes are now available to stream for free on PBS.
Founded in 1890, The Daughters of the American Revolution remains one of the largest and well-established patriotic women’s service organizations in the country, with more than 190,000 members in nearly 3,000 chapters, including 100-plus members in St. Joseph.
Local DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, while also offering scholarships, educational initiatives, and service to veterans, among other community service-based efforts.
To learn more about uncovering a genealogical connection to a Revolutionary War Patriot, reach out to the St. Joseph DAR Chapter by email at cadgynger@gmail.com.
