Regina Lynch-Hudson, a Black Mountain, North Carolina native, has become the first non-White to trace her family lineage to Colonel John Carson and join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Carson, her fifth-great grandfather, was a distinguished Revolutionary War officer and founder of Historic Carson House, the centerpiece of a former 640-acre plantation in Marion, North Carolina.

Carson (b. 1752), a Scots Irish immigrant, fought valiantly for American independence. His home, Carson House, constructed in the late 1700s with the labor of enslaved people, provides a window into the past, reflecting the resilience and endurance of those who lived and toiled there, including Carson’s sixty-eight enslaved persons of African descent.

Extensive analysis in two FamilyTreeDNA Group Projects confirmed that Lynch-Hudson shares genetic ancestry with several White descendants of Carson, including three Carson cousins who share significant overlapping DNA segments on the same chromosome, an occurrence that points to a common shared ancestor. "Lynch-Hudson's thorough documentation combined with conclusive autosomal DNA results solidified her paper trail to the patriot," said Rene Bryson, DAR Greenlee, North Carolina Chapter Registrar.

Establishing documented ties to Revolutionary War ancestors is often challenging for African Americans due to the scarcity of records beyond oral histories that link patriots to their enslaved descendants. Lynch-Hudson’s case exemplifies how DNA evidence can help support family narratives.

The DAR is a 190,000-member lineage-based organization founded in 1890 for women who are directly descended from supporters of the American Revolution. Lynch-Hudson expressed pride in joining the DAR, stating, “My membership in DAR honors faceless foremothers like Kadella (an enslaved Carson matriarch) whose unrecognized contributions have profoundly shaped our nation’s heritage. I hope it also encourages ongoing dialogue about inclusivity and representation in historical organizations. Her induction oath into the DAR was fittingly administered at Historic Carson House, affirming her familial ties to the revered landmark.

Lynch-Hudson, a publicist turned family history reviver, also serves as co-administrator of two other FamilyTreeDNA Group projects: the Cragmont Community Project and the Payne Family of Western North Carolina Project, whose tested participants include songbird Freda Payne and former member of the legendary Supremes, Scherrie Payne.