History Committee

How the History Committee Supports the Historian General’s Objectives

The History Committee reports directly to the Historian General and serves as the primary working body that turns the Historian General’s responsibilities into coordinated action across the Society. Its focus is deliberately collaborative—especially with the Education Committee and the State Societies—so that historical research, preservation, and public education reinforce one another in line with the SAR’s Strategic Plan goals through 2035 and beyond.

1. Alignment with the Historian General’s Core Responsibilities Using the established duties of the Historian General, the Committee concentrates on these key areas through partnership:
2. History & Education Programs The Committee works closely with the Education Committee to ensure that accurate Revolutionary War history is integrated into educational outreach, public programs, exhibits, and the developing Education Center and Museum (including its virtual component). This joint effort supports the Strategic Plan’s Educational Programs goal of giving the public an accurate understanding of the nation’s founding and its continuing importance. The Reenactor & Living History Sub-Committee provides guidance and advice on historical accuracy and interpretation.
3. Assistance to State Society Historians   The Committee provides guidance and resources to State Historians as they locate and document Revolutionary War sites, graves, and memorabilia. By coordinating with State Societies, it multiplies the Historian General’s reach and helps fulfill the Strategic Plan objective of partnering with local groups to place 250th-anniversary markers and commemorate sites through 2035.
4. Identification, Designation & Preservation of Historic Sites: The National Historic Sites and Celebrations Sub-Committee works with the State Societies to identify and preserve places of Revolutionary War significance. This directly advances the Strategic Plan’s Historical Programs goal of preserving records, artifacts, and sites through partnerships with historic and battlefield preservation organizations, with specific targets for tools, best practices, and knowledge-building by 2035. This sub-committee is also tasked with reviewing and voting on significant sites that are deserving of National status for members to earn points toward their Color Guard medals. How to Submit to the Historic Sites and Celebrations Sub-Committee: There is a defined process for submitting a proposal to the Sub-Committee for approval. *Click here* for the Historic Sites and Celebrations Sub-Committee page for instructions and forms.
5. Collaboration with Other Heritage Organizations  The Committee actively partners with the DAR, C.A.R., and other lineage organizations on joint commemorations, marker programs, and educational initiatives. These partnerships are a core tactic in both the Historian General’s charge and the Strategic Plan’s emphasis on co-sponsored events and external relations through 2035.
6. Awards, Contests & Historical Collections The Committee supports the Historian General in recognizing outstanding research and preservation work (Stephen Taylor and Colonel Stewart Boone McCarty Awards) and in administering the Thomas Jefferson Bond, Jr. Memorial Photographic Contest. It also assists the Museum Committee in collecting and retaining historical materials, ensuring these efforts feed into broader educational and commemorative programs.
   1. Historic Preservation Award Submission Form
   2. Click here for more information about the Historic Preservation Award, the MNSSAR Stephen Taylor Award, and the Colonel Stewart Boone McCarty Award
7. Reporting & Institutional Memory By documenting activities and contributing to updates of the National Society’s history, the Committee helps the Historian General fulfill reporting requirements to leadership and the Annual Congress while building a lasting archival record.
8. Strategic Plan Emphasis on Collaboration The SAR Strategic Plan (with goals extending through 2035 for the Decade of the American Revolution) places strong emphasis on Historical Programs that commemorate people, events, and documents; preserve records and sites; and support serious study of the Revolution. It specifically calls for:
   1. Partnerships with other heritage and preservation groups for markers and programs through 2035,
   2. Close work with the Education Committee on public history programs, exhibits, and the virtual Education Center/Museum, and
   3. Active engagement of State Societies and chapters in local commemorations and preservation.

In practice, the History Committee’s daily focus is to serve as the bridge that connects the Historian General’s objectives with the Education Committee’s outreach expertise and the State Societies’ on-the-ground knowledge. Through this coordinated approach, the Committee ensures that research, preservation, recognition, and education move forward together—making the American Revolution relevant, accurate, and accessible to new generations while advancing the Society’s long-term strategic goals.

Initiatives and Recommended Links:

1. Liberty Tree Project
2. Memorial Bench Project
3. Henry Knox Bookshelf
4. U.S. Army Center for Military History Downloadable Commemorative Pamphlet Series on the American Revolution
5. Selected list of books on the American Revolution available in the trade.  (last update 2026 08 11)
6. This Day in American Revolutionary War History
7. Journal of the American Revolution
8. American Revolution Podcast Episode List
9. Emerging Revolutionary War
10. American Battlefield Trust on the American Revolution

SAR250

Washington Crossing and the Ten Crucial Days   December 11, 12, 13, 2026 – including the local chapter SAR250 Planning Guide.

The Role of the SAR History Education Content Review Advisory Board (SHECRAB)

The SAR History Education Content Review Advisory Board, known as SHECRAB, is a specialized subcommittee formed with representatives from both the Education and History Committees. Its primary purpose is to ensure a high standard of accurate and meticulous historical interpretation across SAR educational materials.  SHECRAB coordinates and manages subject-matter experts who recommend and review content for the SAR Education Center and Museum (SARECM) in both physical and virtual formats. The Board also assists the editors of SAR Magazine, youth program submissions, and other sponsored content by reviewing historical content for accuracy and quality.

SHECRAB work follows three clear principles:

1. Content Definition– SHECRAB recommends new SARECM content so that materials remain current with the latest scholarship.
2. Content Creation – Members may write content but are not required to do so.
3. Content Review – All new materials are reviewed by SHECRAB members or by other qualified scholars and public historians they recommend.

Membership is determined by the Subcommittee Chair, with approval from the Chairs of the History and Education Committees. The Historian General serves as a tiebreaker when needed. All members serve at the pleasure of the Historian General.

In short, SHECRAB acts as the quality-control body that protects the historical integrity of SAR’s educational programs and publications.