Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
Founded in 1866, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization whose members were Civil War veterans of the Union Army, Navy, and Marine forces. The GAR was composed of hundreds of local branches, referred to as “posts.” It was one of the first racially integrated fraternal organizations in the United States, and at its height in 1890, the GAR had an estimated 410,000 members and was among the first organized political advocacy groups in the United States. Considered the most powerful single-issue political lobby of the time, the GAR is credited with contributing to the election of five Republican presidents. Its platform promoted voting rights for Black veterans, education, and pensions for veterans. Through the efforts of the GAR, the first national observance of Memorial Day–known as “Decoration Day” until 1971–took place on May 30, 1868. The GAR was dissolved in 1956, with the death of its last member.