Search Term Record
Metadata
Name |
Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) |
Details |
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was the largest fraternal organization for Union Veterans, operating from 1866 until the death of the last Union veteran in 1956. During its first decade of existence, the GAR served as an influential lobbying group closely associated with Republican politics and Reconstruction policies. This partisan nature created an elitist image, and the organization struggled to attract new, middle-class members. Therefore, in the 1880s, the GAR focused less on national politics and marketed itself as a patriotic organization that promoted fraternity, charity, and loyalty. The GAR became highly active in decorating veterans' graves, dedicating monuments, participating in celebrations and parades, and supporting veterans with benefits and pensions. The GAR's practice of decorating graves lead to the creation of Memorial Day as a federal holiday. At its height in 1890, the GAR included approximately 490,000 members. |
Number of Archive records |
13 |
Number of Library records |
1 |
Number of Object records |
17 |
Number of Photo records |
0 |
