Core Benefits of Active (Dues-Paying) Membership to the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
1. Official recognition and permanent documentation of your lineage
The National Society reviews and approves your application. Your proven line of descent from a Revolutionary War Patriot is registered and permanently archived at SAR Headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. You receive an official membership certificate. This creates a lasting, verified record available to your descendants and researchers. Members can also obtain Record Copies of applications.
2. The SAR Magazine
Regular members (age 18+) receive the quarterly official magazine at no extra cost. It covers society news at all levels, historical feature articles on the Revolution and its participants, educational content, and reports on commemorations and programs.
3. Genealogical and research resources
- Free admission to the SAR Genealogical Research Library in Louisville (a major specialized collection of more than 55,000 items focused on Revolutionary War history, genealogy, and related materials). The general public pays a daily fee.
- Member access (including remote login for certain resources) to specialized databases such as Gale collections on the American Revolution and genealogy.
- Enhanced use of the Patriot Research System (PRS) and other member-only digital assets and reports.
- Opportunities to contribute biographies or help expand the PRS, with recognition available for volunteer hours.
4. Participation, voting, and leadership rights
Only regular dues-paying members may vote and hold office at chapter, state, and national levels. You can attend the Annual Congress, spring and fall Leadership Meetings in Louisville, district meetings, and join national committees (Color Guard, Education, Youth Programs, Historic Sites, Americanism, Veterans, etc.).
5. Programs, activities, and recognition.
Active members can fully participate in:
- Color Guard units (wearing period uniforms for parades, ceremonies, grave markings, and public events).
- Youth education contests and awards (essay, oration, poster, brochure, Eagle Scout, ROTC/JROTC, history teacher programs, and others that provide scholarships and medals).
- Patriot and Compatriot grave marking, historical marker projects, Speakers Bureau presentations, Flag Certificate programs, and public-service awards.
- Collaboration with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.).
Members may wear the official membership badge and rosette and earn medals and awards for service.
6. Fellowship and networking
You join a community of roughly 37,000 Compatriots across all 50 states and several international societies who share documented descent from those who supported American independence. Local chapter meetings, state events, and national gatherings provide ongoing social and patriotic connections.
7. Supporting the Society’s mission
Dues fund national operations, the magazine, the library, the Education Center and Museum, historical preservation, educational outreach, and programs that promote patriotism, the founding principles of the United States, and civic engagement. The SAR is a congressionally chartered organization whose purposes include honoring Revolutionary War Patriots, educating the public (especially youth) about the Revolution and American institutions, and encouraging respect for national symbols and citizenship.
Additional Notes
Junior members (under 18) pay reduced dues and have more limited rights (no voting or magazine until age 18).
National Life Membership is available for a one-time age-based fee that exempts the member from future national annual dues (state and chapter dues usually still apply).
- Emeritus status (after 50 years of regular dues) exempts further national dues.
- Benefits are contingent on remaining in good standing through timely dues payment.
In short, paying SAR dues secures formal recognition of your Patriot ancestry, gives practical access to research tools and publications, opens doors to leadership and hands-on historical/patriotic activities, and lets you actively support the preservation and teaching of America’s founding heritage. Many members value the combination of personal family legacy work and meaningful public service. For the most current dues amounts and local details, contact a nearby chapter registrar or check sar.org.(Dues-Paying) Membership
Why We Pay Our State Dues to the New Jersey Society, SAR
Paying dues to the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NJSSAR) is essential for maintaining active membership and directly supporting the Society’s focused work in the state that played a uniquely central role in the American Revolution.
Membership in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is held through a state society (there are no national at-large memberships). Paying NJSSAR dues—alongside National and chapter dues—keeps a Compatriot in good standing at all three levels. This preserves the full range of national benefits (official lineage documentation and archival storage, the quarterly SAR Magazine, access to research resources including the Patriot Research System and SAR Genealogical Research Library, voting and leadership rights, Color Guard participation, youth programs, and fellowship) while channeling support specifically to New Jersey’s programs and historic stewardship.
NJSSAR, with its thirteen chapters and more than 750 members, carries a special historical significance: it helped launch the National Society itself. William Osborn McDowell of New Jersey organized the New Jersey Society in 1889 and became SAR Member Number 1 when the National Society was formed that same year. Dues sustain the state society’s ability to honor Patriot ancestors, promote patriotism and the Constitution, educate youth, and serve communities—exactly as outlined in its mission.
Why NJSSAR Dues Matter in Practice
They fund state-level Color Guard operations, commemorative events, youth contests and awards, teacher grants (such as the Reverend John Witherspoon American History Teacher Grant), and public education about New Jersey’s Revolutionary heritage.
They enable dual membership opportunities for Compatriots whose ancestors lived, fought, or died in New Jersey, allowing them to stay connected to local activities even if their primary membership is elsewhere.
Active dues-paying status grants the right to vote on state matters, hold leadership positions, and fully participate in chapter and state initiatives that would otherwise lack resources.
Without consistent dues support, the capacity for grave markings, site ceremonies, classroom outreach, and large-scale commemorations diminishes.
Members of NJSSAR as Stewards of Historic Sites and the Legacy of the “Crossroads of the Revolution”
New Jersey is widely known as the Crossroads of the Revolution because more military engagements (hundreds of battles and skirmishes) occurred here than in any other colony or state. George Washington spent more time in New Jersey than anywhere else during the war. Key turning-point events include the Christmas 1776 Crossing of the Delaware and the subsequent victories at Trenton and Princeton (the “Ten Crucial Days”), the Battle of Monmouth, the Battles of Springfield and Connecticut Farms, the Battle of Bound Brook, the Morristown and Middlebrook winter encampments, privateering along the coast, and countless smaller actions that kept the Continental Army alive and the British off-balance. A large portion of the state falls within the federally designated Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, which works to conserve, interpret, and promote these landscapes and stories.
NJSSAR members serve as active stewards of this legacy in concrete ways:
Color Guard presence and commemorations. Members in period uniforms post and retire colors, participate in reenactments, and lead or support wreath-layings and ceremonies at sites such as Washington Crossing, Trenton, Princeton, Monmouth Battlefield, Springfield, Bound Brook, and others. These public events keep the memory of specific battles and the broader “Crossroads” narrative alive for local communities and visitors.
Patriot grave markings and cemetery work: Compatriots locate, mark, and dedicate graves of Revolutionary War Patriots across New Jersey (examples include ceremonies at historic cemeteries in Springfield, Scotch Plains, Old Tennent, and many others). They also support cleanups and the placement of interpretive signs, ensuring that the resting places of those who fought or aided the cause remain visible and honored.
Historic site support and preservation. Members contribute to monument restorations (such as the Caldwell Monument), Liberty Tree dedications, and partnerships that enhance visitor readiness and interpretation of Revolutionary-era sites. They collaborate with organizations connected to the Crossroads National Heritage Area and with DAR chapters on shared projects.
Education and public outreach: Through Speakers Bureau presentations, classroom visits with living-history interpreters and replica artifacts, youth contests, and teacher grants, members teach the distinctive New Jersey story of the Revolution—its geography, civilian experiences, mixed loyalties, and decisive military actions—to students and the public. This educational work directly perpetuates the founding principles and the state’s pivotal contribution.
America 250 and ongoing commemorative leadership. As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of independence, NJSSAR organizes and participates in major events (including Washington Crossing and Ten Crucial Days commemorations) that highlight New Jersey’s role. These efforts reinforce community pride, civic engagement, and long-term stewardship of the physical and intangible heritage.
In short, NJSSAR dues transform personal ancestral connection into collective responsibility. By remaining dues-paying members, Compatriots fund and participate in the practical work of protecting battlefields, graves, monuments, and stories that define New Jersey as the Crossroads of the Revolution. They ensure that the sacrifices made on New Jersey soil continue to educate, inspire patriotism, and transmit the founding ideals to future generations—exactly the stewardship role the Society was created to fulfill.