On Tuesday, May 27, members of the Colonel William Preston Chapter, National Society Daughters of the Revolution (NSDAR), Roanoke, Va. met in the lobby of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge and the O. Winston Link/Roanoke History Museum to promote America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. DAR Regent Wendy Warren, chapter registrar Nancy Canova, and chapter member Barbara Duerk held a press conference with Cheryl Morales, Director Community Relations, Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge; Ashley Webb, Executive Director and Curator of the Roanoke History Museum, O. Winston Link Museum and the Historical Society of Western Virginia; Charlsie Parker, Assistant Director, Roanoke City Libraries; Jessie Coffman, Vice President, Roanoke Library Foundation; and Brenda Atkinson, Past Virginia DAR District VII Director and Past Regent, Nancy Christian Fleming Chapter, NSDAR.
Ms. Morales, who serves as chair of the Blue Ridge Virginia 250 Committee, welcomed everyone and spoke about the committee’s goals in promoting this country’s 250th anniversary coming up in 2026 in Roanoke City, Roanoke County, City of Salem, Franklin County, and Botetourt County.
Mrs. Canova spoke about NSDAR’s focus on recognizing the diversity of our country and the significant contributions to the cause of American freedom 250 years ago by African Americans, Native Americans, and other often-overlooked people who lived during the time of the Revolutionary War. She spoke of the Colonel William Preston DAR Chapter’s collaboration with the Roanoke Public Library in hosting genealogy workshops for people of color using free library software such as Family Search and Ancestry.com, and how they could research their ancestors and join DAR or SAR (Sons of the American Revolution).
Mrs. Webb promoted the various exhibits currently on display that feature the American Revolution. One exhibit she noted was the American Battlefield Trust/NSDAR Revolutionary War traveling banner display that has been in the lobby since May 10 and features the lives of ordinary people affected by the events of the American Revolutionary War. Provided for free by the Colonel William Preston DAR Chapter, this display will be available until May 29, when it will be packed up and shipped to its next destination.
Mrs. Warren spoke of her chapter’s project of raising over $700 for the Roanoke Library Foundation to be used to purchase children’s books about the American Revolution. She handed this donation to Charlsie Parker along with a listing of over four dozen books recommended by DAR that the library can choose from. Mrs. Warren thanked Mrs. Atkinson for providing a display of several dozen children’s books from that list for all to see. She also thanked Mrs. Duerk for organizing this event and encouraging chapter members to provide this donation to the Library Foundation.
The mission of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and secure America’s future through better education for children. The organization is committed to historic preservation, education, and community service, fostering a deeper understanding of the nation’s history and values.