President General's Welcome
The Society of the Cincinnati is a vibrant community of fellowship and high purpose, dedicated to the memory of the heroes who secured the independence of the United States. We welcome your interest in our unique organization and invite you to learn more about us.
Established in 1783, as the American War for Independence drew to a close, the Society of the Cincinnati is the oldest private patriotic organization in the United States. The Society is also our nation's first hereditary organization. The founders of the Society assigned their descendants the task of preserving the memory of the patriotic sacrifices that made American liberty a reality.
As members of the Society, we take that task very seriously. Our educational work reaches all parts of the United States. We preserve and provide access to one of the world's great collections of books and manuscripts illuminating the history of the War for Independence and a remarkable collection of art and artifacts illustrating that war and the long history of our organization. These rich public programs are the heart of the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati.
The Society of the Cincinnati and our American Revolution Institute are dedicated to promoting scholarly and popular interest in the extraordinary generation that created our great republic. We encourage you to visit our headquarters in Washington, D.C., use our library, attend a lecture, tour our museum, or view one of our exhibitions. We invite you to join us in honoring the heroes who established our republic and who risked their lives and fortunes to defend the liberties we all enjoy.
Sincerely,
Frank Keech Turner, Jr.
President General, The Society of the Cincinnati