COMMITTEE PROFILE

250 for the 250th and E Pluribus Unum Committees

Debbie Duay 250 for the 250th

Carla Clarke E Pluribus Unum

Celebrating the Contributions of Underrepresented Patriots

The Two Approaches of the 250 for the 250th and E Pluribus Unum Committees

Some National Society committees have been carrying out the DAR mission for over 130 years; others are newer kids on the block. Each new DAR administration takes the opportunity to evaluate the National Society’s committee structure and make changes to reflect current priorities. On the eve of America 250!, the Storage Administration introduced two new committees that tackle an important goal from two different angles: celebrating the contributions of underrepresented Patriots.

The Genealogy Approach

250 for the 250th Committee

Led by National Chair and Vice President General Debbie Duay, the 250 for the 250th Committee works to research potential Patriots in four categories of underrepresented Patriots: female Patriots, French Canadian Patriots, Patriots with Spanish service, and Patriots of Color. The committee’s list of potential Patriots—which already surpasses the initial goal of 250—is now available in a new database through the Genealogical Research System (GRS).

Duay emphasizes these are potential Patriots, not verified Patriots. In other words, if you can trace your lineage to a Patriot listed in the 250 for the 250th Database, do the supplemental application. The potential Patriots have not yet been verified by NSDAR staff genealogists. “I always say, you do the supplemental, because then it’ll be an approved DAR Patriot,” Duay says.

DAR lineage research for membership applications starts with the applicant, working back from the first generation. The 250 for the 250th Committee takes a different approach, identifying potential Patriots who are likely to have a substantial number of living descendants. As Duay explains, this project’s goal is to increase access to DAR membership.

Then, for each identified Patriot, committee members find acceptable documentation of American Revolutionary War service, establish residence, and document an approximate birth and death date, as well as a place of death or burial. The committee also compiles as much information as possible about all children and spouses.

The database’s largest group of potential Patriots is female—all widows from Massaschusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Maryland who paid the supply tax. When searching the new database for a potential female Patriot, Duay strongly recommends searching for all possible married names, not maiden names. Keep in mind that if the committee was unable to document a maiden name for a female, the maiden name will be listed as “X”—even if hundreds of trees on genealogy websites list a maiden name.

The meaning of the E Pluribus Unum Committee’s Latin name—“Out of Many, One”—embodies its purpose, Clarke says.

The Storytelling Approach

E Pluribus Unum Committee

Once Patriots are proven, it’s time to tell their stories. Expanding knowledge about Patriots of Color, including those of African American and Native American descent, is the mission of the new E Pluribus Unum Committee, led by National Chair Carla Clarke.

“The committee comes from the realization that there were so many men and women who fought to establish this country,” Clarke says. “We are bringing their stories to life and making sure they are not forgotten.”

Clarke identifies four guiding principles for her committee:

Educate—Increasing knowledge about Patriots of Color within DAR and among the public
Share—Bringing stories into schools, libraries, museums, and community presentations
Engage—Collaborating with the public and other organizations
Inspire—Encouraging research and discoveries about overlooked Patriots

“We have the stories that everyone knows—Washington, Adams, you know these stories,” Clarke says. “But what about these men and women who were just as prominent in our fight for our country?”

The E Pluribus Unum Committee webpage and Daughters Online Community space offer posters, E Pluribus Unum minutes, research lines, project ideas, customizable certificates, and more for chapter use. “Illumination Activities” offer five levels of activity, ranging from introductory education to identifying or presenting a Patriot’s story. Clarke says chapters in nearly every state along with Germany and Canada have participated so far. This year, E Pluribus Unum is introducing a student video contest in which students will create short video essays about Patriots in the DAR Patriots of Color database. She plans to feature state first-place winners on the committee’s website.

Clarke draws inspiration from her own ancestor: the Philadelphia Quaker Cyrus Bustill, a Patriot of Color and baker who supplied bread to General George Washington’s troops at Valley Forge. She had long heard stories of Bustill, but a cousin’s genealogical research helped her prove the connection.

The meaning of the committee’s Latin name—“Out of Many, One”—embodies its purpose, Clarke says. Members of different backgrounds and states are uniting around a common purpose.

“We want this to be a legacy of DAR. We are just the ones being brought together to begin this mission.” P

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026