MESSAGE FROM THE MAGAZINE NATIONAL CHAIR
Kate Johanns
I have been looking forward to celebrating the 140th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty for a long time, and I am thrilled it is one of the commemorative events for the Storage Administration.
What first interested you in joining DAR?
I love to ask members this question. From an early age, I was patriotic. I was the kid who wrote scripts for my own Memorial Day observances in the backyard, “volun-telling” my younger brother he would participate.
I trace my patriotism back to the centenary of the Statue of Liberty, which took place July 3–6, 1986—just before my sixth birthday. The four-day “Liberty Weekend” celebration, featuring fireworks, speeches from President Ronald Reagan and French President François Mitterrand, and performances by legends including Frank Sinatra, was televised, and my mom recorded the television special for me on our new VCR. I watched it many, many times, starting a lifelong love for the Statue of Liberty and celebrating the values that make America extraordinary. Of course, I could not put those feelings into words as an almost 6-year-old, but I could draw pictures, start crafting my own commemorative events, and begin reading biographies of American heroes.
Statue of Liberty drawing by 6-year-old Kate. Photo courtesy of Kate Johanns.
President Reagan giving speech on the Centennial of the Statue of Liberty, Governor's Island, New York, 1986. Photo Wikimedia Commons.
So, you might say, I have been looking forward to celebrating the 140th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty for a long time. I am thrilled it is one of the commemorative events for the Storage Administration, and I am fascinated by the feature we have on Lady Liberty in this issue of The Daughters’ Portico. I am working on a Statue of Liberty program for my chapter’s October meeting, and I hope to bring some of my collection of souvenir Statues of Liberty to display.
I also can’t wait to read about other chapters’ Statue of Liberty commemorations on the new State & Chapter News page on the public DAR website. In the print era, “With the Chapters” and “State Activities” submissions were featured in the pages of the Daughters newsletter, which meant they were not easily shareable with the public. Now that we’ve transitioned to a digital format, this content is ready made for sharing on social media. Each published article features its own URL, which means you can easily post it on your chapter social media or include it in your chapter newsletter.
I hope the story of my love for the Statue of Liberty inspires you to include children in your chapter’s commemorative events. These events present the perfect opportunity to involve your local Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) society. C.A.R. members are always ready to participate by greeting guests, passing out programs, and leading the Pledge of Allegiance, among other responsibilities.
I kept thinking about the origins of my love of country this Independence Day. I spent the Fourth of July with my nieces Holly and Lucy. Holly will be 6 in October, and Lucy is 3. We had a quiet day, but we talked about George Washington and how big a number “250” is. We made bald eagles out of construction paper. And we watched some of the America 250 coverage on TV, including a video of ABC News’ David Muir climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty’s torch. Even on YouTube you can feel the torch swaying in the wind. As I cuddled with Holly on the couch, I thought about watching those specials on TV as a little girl, and I prayed I would play a role in lighting the spark of patriotism in her heart. P
I'd love to hear from you!
Kate Johanns
National Chair, DAR Magazine Committee
or via the Daughters Online Community (DOC), DAR Magazine Committee
September/October 2026
