Established in 1783, as the American War for Independence ended, the Society of the Cincinnati is the oldest private patriotic organization in the United States and the 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. The organization is named for the ancient Roman hero Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, an embodiment of civic virtue and George Washington was its first president general.

The organization, which of which the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati is part, is dedicated to promoting scholarly and popular interest in perpetuating the memory of the American Revolution through research and educational programs. At Anderson House, its international headquarters in Washington, DC it maintains one of the world’s great collections of books and manuscripts illuminating the history of the War for Independence as well as a remarkable collection of art and artifacts illustrating that war and the long history of the organization.

In 2012, the Society of the Cincinnati created the American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati, a division of the Society devoted to renewing popular appreciation and understanding of the history and legacy of the American Revolution.