"Forgotten Patriots" Wins The Donald Lines Jacobus Award

DAR Publication Forgotten Patriots Honored with American Society of Genealogists Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The DAR publication, Forgotten Patriots: African American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War, has been honored with the prestigious Donald Lines Jacobus Award from the American Society of Genealogists (ASG).




The Jacobus Award is presented annually to a model genealogical work published within the last five years, and was established to “to encourage sound scholarship in genealogical writing.” Forgotten Patriots was considered to be such an important publication that the ASG Fellows chose this genealogical resource guide to receive the recognition when, traditionally, the award is typically given to published compiled family genealogies. A complete list of winners can be found on the ASG Web site.



In presenting this award to Forgotten Patriots, ASG notes that the book “will greatly improve the breadth and accuracy of research” and “opens new doors in an increasingly compelling field of genealogy.”


Published in 2008, Forgotten Patriots documents nearly 6,600 names of African Americans and American Indians who contributed to American Independence. The 872-page book includes details of documented service of the listed Patriots, historical commentary, and an extensive bibliography of research sources.



Eric Grundset, DAR Library Director and Editor of Forgotten Patriots, says, “The subject of this book is essential to the work of the DAR to document the history of the role of all individuals in the Revolutionary War and to preserve it for future generations.”



In addition to the Jacobus Award, the DAR publication has also received critical acclaim. A book review in the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Forum states that Forgotten Patriots is a “must-have reference book” and “will enrich the research of every discerning student of genealogy.” The Journal of Southern History states, “This work is an amazing jumping-off point for all kinds of projects on Revolutionary War topics. Any historian, genealogist, or Revolutionary War aficionado cannot go wrong acquiring this huge, well-organized, data-packed volume.”