Queen Sofía Presides Over Historical Symposium Sharing Spain's Contribution to the American Revolution as the Daughters of the American Revolution Launches America 250 Events

Two-Day Event Hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI) in collaboration with Fundación Ramón Areces (FRA) draws international experts to share research and insights with the public

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Last month, hundreds of attendees gathered for a two-day historical symposium, Spain and the Birth of American Democracy. The event was held Sept. 19-20, at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall and was presented in conjunction with the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI) and the Fundación Ramón Areces (FRA) with support from the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in the United States. This symposium was a key part of upcoming DAR's America 250 celebrations to mark the semiquincentennial of America's founding.

View photos and videos from the Symposium on the DAR website. 

Presided over by Her Majesty Queen Sofía, the event showcased leading international experts on the American Revolutionary War who presented their most recent research on the key role played by Spain in the birth of the United States.

Among the distinguished speakers were Richard L. Kagan, authority on modern Spanish imperial history and Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University; Gonzalo M. Quintero Saravia, specialist on Bernardo de Gálvez; and Kathleen DuVal, 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner in History.

The symposium opened with words by the Ambassador of Spain to the U.S., Ángeles Moreno Bau, who emphasized the importance of this gathering to strengthen the historical and cultural ties between the two countries. Pilar Lladó, chair of the board of the QSSI, said the event played a prominent role toward a better knowledge for the general public of the shared history between the United States and Spain.

Ginnie Sebastian Storage, DAR President General, enthusiastically welcomed guests to the organization's National Headquarters and highlighted the relevance of incorporating the shared history between Spain and the United States into the America 250 celebrations.

"It has been a privilege for our organization to work alongside our esteemed Spanish partners to plan and host this important symposium," said Storage. "The incredible historians and scholars who spoke have truly illuminated the crucial, yet often overlooked, contributions of Spain to the American Revolution. What an outstanding way to begin to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding!"

Symposium speakers included international experts, professors, historians, authors, History Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists, and other authorities on Spanish-American history who profiled the latest research, news and findings associated with specific historical events and the impact of Spain's involvement in the American Revolution. A full listings of speakers and topics can be found here.

In addition to session presentations, organizations offered interactive booths and educational resources in displays located around Constitution Hall. DAR members and staff shared genealogical and membership resources with the public. They specifically highlighted the ties to Spanish Patriots and encouraged attendees to trace their own family lineages to learn rich and sometimes surprising connections to the history of America's founding. By availing themselves of DAR genealogical resources, members develop a rewarding community for shared historic preservation, education, patriotism, friendship, family and service.

Other participating organizations included the Museum of the American Revolution, Gilder Lehrman Institute, Military Women's Memorial, the National America250 Commission, PBS and the upcoming Ken Burns multi-part documentary series American Revolution, George Washington's Mount Vernon, and The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati. Numerous Spanish institutions, including the Spanish Royal Mint (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre), San Pablo CEU University, Camilo José Cela University, the Institute of Military History and Culture, and the Bernardo de Gálvez y Gallardo Cultural Association were also represented.

The symposium concluded with Begonia Santos, president and CEO of QSSI, who announced the celebration of a third America&Spain250 Symposium in the United States in 2026. "We invite you to continue to be a part, alongside the QSSI, of this journey, a journey that seeks to give visibility to the foundational contributions of Hispanics to the establishment of the United States."

Her Majesty Queen Sofía, through the Fundación Reina Sofía over which Her Majesty presides, supports the America&Spain250 Initiative through a collaboration agreement signed with the QSSI in December 2024 in effect through 2026.

All presentations throughout the Symposium are now available on the DAR website, and will be transcribed and translated into Spanish at a later date. To learn more about the participation of Spain in the American Revolution, visit the educational platform "Spanish Influence on American History" developed by the QSSI in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Royal Academy of History of Spain containing primary sources, lesson plans, videos by historians, and more.

The DAR provides a variety of resources to help people research their Spanish Patriots through the DAR Library and DAR member volunteer genealogists who specialize in Spanish research. DAR's other America 250! initiatives, including service projects, various scholarships, the E Pluribus Unum Educational Initiativehighlighting underrepresented Revolutionary War Patriots, as well as other national and local events will also be part of the organization's contributions to the America 250 celebrations. Find out more about DAR's plan to honor the country's founding at www.dar.org/America250.

About the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI)

The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI) was founded in 1954 to stimulate interest in the United States in the culture, art, literature and history of Spanish-speaking countries, and to promote among Spanish-speaking people knowledge and understanding of the ideals, culture and customs of the people of the United States.

The QSSI is named after its patroness, Her Majesty Queen Sofía, mother of the current King of Spain, Felipe VI. The QSSI is governed by a Board of Trustees and, as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit New York-based charitable organization, is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations. For more information, visit www.queensofiaspanishinstitute.org.

About the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
 The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was founded in 1890 to preserve the memory and spirit of those who contributed to securing American independence. As one of the largest patriotic women's service organizations in the world, DAR has nearly 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters around the world. DAR members promote the three pillars of historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. The DAR is also a renowned genealogical repository which includes the DAR Library, one of the largest genealogical research centers in the United States, and the DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS), a free online database of information amassed by the DAR. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.

Media Contacts:

Daughters of the American Revolution
Bren Landon
202-572-0563
[email protected]

Queen Sofía Spanish Institute
Celia Maldonado
212.628.0420
[email protected] 

SOURCE Daughters of the American Revolution