Pamela Rouse Wright

{{short description|46th President General of the Daughters of the American Revolution}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Pamela Rouse Wright

| image = DAR President-General Pamela Rouse Wright (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Wright in 2024

| title = 46th President General of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

| term_start = July 3, 2022

| term_end =

| predecessor = Denise Doring VanBuren

| successor =

| education = Ouachita Baptist University
University of Arkansas
Gemological Institute of America

| spouse = John Griffin Wright

| children = 2

| birth_name = Pamela Hilda Edwards Rouse

| birth_place = Georgia, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| resting_place =

| website = [https://www.pamelawright.com/ pamelawright.com]

| awards = Yellow Rose of Texas Award

| occupation = philanthropist, businesswoman, jewelry designer, clubwoman

}}

Pamela Hilda Edwards Rouse Wright is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and jewelry designer. Since 2022, she has served as the President General of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. She is the second Texan to serve as the national society's president general. In 2022, Wright was presented with the Yellow Rose of Texas Award by Governor Greg Abbott for charitable contributions and volunteerism in Texas.

Under Wright's presidency, the Daughters of the American Revolution worked to become a more inclusive and diverse organization. In January 2023, Wright created the Lena Ferguson Scholarship for students at the University of the District of Columbia, named in honor of Lena Santos Ferguson, a black woman who was denied membership to local chapters of the organization in 1980 due to racist policies and was later accepted as a member-at-large at the national level in 1983. Wright commissioned a commemorative plaque honoring Ferguson to be placed in the memorial garden at DAR Constitution Hall.

Early life, family, and education

Wright was born and raised in Georgia.{{Cite web |last=Wrifley |first=Deborah |title=President General of the National Society DAR loves this country, dedicated to preserving its history |url=https://www.pamelawright.com/post/houston-woman-magazine-pamela-rouse-wright |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042650/https://www.pamelawright.com/post/houston-woman-magazine-pamela-rouse-wright |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=pamelawright.com}} She is the daughter of Charles Benjamin Rouse Sr. and Wauneithe Mitchell Rouse.{{Cite web |date=2010-09-01 |title=Obituary: Charles Benjamin Rouse, Sr. |url=https://www.millercountyliberal.com/articles/charles-benjamin-rouse-sr/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042617/https://www.millercountyliberal.com/articles/charles-benjamin-rouse-sr/ |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Miller County Liberal}} Her father, a Korean War veteran, was a recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, the China Service Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal Korea, and the Korean Service Medal with six stars.

Wright's great-grandfather, Carlo Bucci, immigrated to the United States in the 1870s from the Campobasso Province in Italy and anglicized his name to Charles Walter Smith.{{Cite web |title=Interview: Pamela Wright (President General of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) |url=https://wetheitalians.com/interviews/italian-american-president-general-national-society-daughters-american-revolution |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604033250/https://www.wetheitalians.com/interviews/italian-american-president-general-national-society-daughters-american-revolution |archive-date=2023-06-04 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=We the Italians}} She is a descendant of Pvt. Reuben Roberts, Sr., who served under the command of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. She also descends from thirteen other American colonists who served or provided aid for American independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

She graduated magna cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University and attended graduate school at the University of Arkansas. She received certifications through the Gemological Institute of America and the International Society of Appraisers.

Career

File:National Huguenot Society.jpg

Wright is the founder and owner of a jewelry and luxury goods company based in Houston. She is the co-founder of Wright Pawn & Jewelry.{{Cite web |title=Wright Pawn & Jewelry - About Us |url=https://www.wrightpawn.com/about |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528132005/https://www.wrightpawn.com/about |archive-date=2023-05-28 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Wright Pawn & Jewelry {{!}} Upscale Houston Pawn Shop}}{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=Houston Treasure for 2017 |url=https://thesocialbook.com/treasure-awards/pamela-wright/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606124453/https://thesocialbook.com/treasure-awards/pamela-wright/ |archive-date=2023-06-06 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=The Social Book}} As a jewelry designer, her clients have included First Ladies of Texas and of the United States, as well as other wives of prominent American politicians. She designed the Texas Front Porch pin, which was selected by Texas First Lady Anita Thigpen Perry as a sale item to benefit the Texas Governor's Mansion Restoration Fund. Wright transitioned the Daughters of the American Revolution Insignia Store from an outside commercial vendor to an in-house operation.

She serves on the advisory board of the National Society Descendants of American Farmers.{{cite web |author= |date= |title= Meet the Society Officers|url= https://www.nsdoaf.com/|website= National Society Descendants of American Farmers|location= |publisher= |access-date= March 3, 2025}}

= Daughters of the American Revolution =

Wright was the third generation of her family to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, as her mother and grandmother were also members. She joined the national society as a member of the Lady Washington Chapter in Houston, Texas. She participated in her first Texas State Conference of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1988.

In 1999, she became the Centennial Regent of the Lady Washington Chapter. In 2012, she was appointed as the State Regent of Texas.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Pamela Rouse |date=Fall 2014 |title=The State Regent's Remarks from Pamela Rouse Wright |url=https://docplayer.net/31564895-The-state-regent-s-remarks-from-pamela-rouse-wright.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042619/https://docplayer.net/31564895-The-state-regent-s-remarks-from-pamela-rouse-wright.html |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Texas DAR Bulletin, vol 63, iss 5, p 1}} Under her leadership as State Regent, the organization's membership in Texas increased to more than 18,000.{{Cite web |title=Pamela Rouse Wright, President General |url=https://blog.dar.org/pamela-rouse-wright-president-general |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042619/https://blog.dar.org/pamela-rouse-wright-president-general |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Daughters of the American Revolution blog}} She was elected to national office in 2016 as the Chaplain General. In 2018, Wright was elected to serve as First Vice President General and, on July 3, 2022, she was elected and installed as the 46th President General of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Pamela Edwards Rouse |date=2022-07-18 |title=Welcome to the Wright Administration! |url=https://blog.dar.org/welcome-wright-administration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718224912/https://blog.dar.org/welcome-wright-administration |archive-date=2022-07-18 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Daughters of the American Revolution blog}}{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Joett |date=2022-11-16 |title=Atascosa Daughters attend the Fall Forum of TSDAR |url=https://www.pleasantonexpress.com/articles/atascosa-daughters-attend-the-fall-forum-of-tsdar/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042620/https://www.pleasantonexpress.com/articles/atascosa-daughters-attend-the-fall-forum-of-tsdar/ |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Pleasanton Express}} She is the second woman from Texas to serve as President General.{{Cite web |last=Spackey |first=Pat |date=2022-09-21 |title=The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is "Texas" Proud of Their Members Serving in Leadership in Texas and the Nation |url=https://montgomerycountynews.net/the-national-society-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-istexas-proud-p10991-106.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823042633/https://montgomerycountynews.net/the-national-society-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-istexas-proud-p10991-106.htm |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Montgomery County News}}

File:Lena Santos Ferguson Memorial.jpg

In January 2023, Wright personally invited Serena Ferguson, the daughter of Lena Lorraine Santos Ferguson, who was denied membership to the organization in the 1980s because of their racist policies at the time, to join the Daughters of the American Revolution and created the Lena Ferguson Scholarship to benefit students at the University of the District of Columbia.{{Cite news |last=Dorsey |first=Corrinne |date=2023-06-25 |title=After family's long fight, Lena Ferguson gets honor from the DAR |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/06/25/lena-ferguson-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-plaque-scholarship/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625151500/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/06/25/lena-ferguson-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-plaque-scholarship/ |archive-date=2023-06-25 |access-date=2023-08-23 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Wright commissioned a memorial plaque, in honor of Lena Ferguson, that was placed in the memorial garden at DAR Constitution Hall.

File:DAR President-General Wright address DAR pages at 133rd Continental Congress.jpg

In March 2023, Wright unveiled a new plaque at The Old Burial Ground in Sturbridge, Massachusetts that honors sixty-four Revolutionary War patriots who are buried there.{{Cite web |last=Lemmon |first=Olivia |date=2023-03-17 |title=New plaque at Old Burial Ground in Sturbridge honors Revolutionary War patriots |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2023/03/17/plaque-at-southbridge-cemetery-honors-revolutionary-war-patriots- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321130054/https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2023/03/17/plaque-at-southbridge-cemetery-honors-revolutionary-war-patriots- |archive-date=2023-03-21 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Spectrum News 1}}

In April 2023, in her capacity as President General, Wright presented state awards to students who partook in a historical essay contest hosted by the Colonel David Hall Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Delaware.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=Daughters of the American Revolution hold state meeting |url=https://www.capegazette.com/article/daughters-american-revolution-hold-state-meeting/256212 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408212940/https://www.capegazette.com/article/daughters-american-revolution-hold-state-meeting/256212 |archive-date=2023-04-08 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Cape Gazette}}

Under Wright's administration, the Daughters of the American Revolution passed an amendment to the society's bylaws at the 2023 DAR Continental Congress that states the organization cannot discriminate on the basis of gender, religion, or sexual orientation.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-08 |title=Local DAR members attend annual gathering |url=https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/local-dar-members-attend-annual-gathering/article_b3eddd66-1a65-11ee-aa0e-634fbc49bed1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823043128/https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/local-dar-members-attend-annual-gathering/article_b3eddd66-1a65-11ee-aa0e-634fbc49bed1.html |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=The Daily News of Newburyport}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-03 |title=Press Release: 132nd Continental Congress Daughters of the American Revolution Convene in Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.casscountyonline.com/2023/07/132nd-continental-congress-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-convene-in-washington-d-c/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823043128/https://www.casscountyonline.com/2023/07/132nd-continental-congress-daughters-of-the-american-revolution-convene-in-washington-d-c/ |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Cass County Online}} At the congress, a DAR delegate inquired whether chapters could vote against admitting a new member if the applicant had amended their birth certificates to indicate they were female. Wright responded to Mease's inquiry by stating "if a person’s certified birth certificate states ‘female,’ they are eligible for membership, and your chapter cannot change that.. if their birth certificate says they are a female, and you vote against them based on their protected class, it's discrimination."{{Cite web |date=2023-06-29 |title=Video: DAR 132nd Continental Congress - Thursday Business Session |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsvXtKnLtOw |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823002648/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsvXtKnLtOw |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |via=YouTube}}{{cite news |last=Zurick |first=Maura |date=July 26, 2023 |title=Daughters of the American Revolution Members Quit Over Transgender Fears |url=https://www.newsweek.com/daughters-american-revolution-must-accept-transgender-members-1815641 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821195112/https://www.newsweek.com/daughters-american-revolution-must-accept-transgender-members-1815641 |archive-date=August 21, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=Newsweek |location=Washington, D.C.}} In a newsletter released after the congress, Wright wrote, "some have asked if this means a transgender woman can join DAR or if this means that DAR chapters have previously welcomed transgender women. The answer to both questions is, yes."{{cite web| url = https://www.washingtonian.com/2024/01/08/when-the-dar-said-trans-women-were-allowed-controversy-ensued/?fbclid=IwAR11M93zfMAUp_otBIFYszg46kqVTRj5UPaJEMGHaLElci2uSR3m06EFG8c| title = When the DAR Said Trans Women Were Allowed, Controversy Ensued| last = Spears| first = Hunter| date = January 8, 2024| website = Washingtonian| publisher = Catherine Merrill Williams| access-date = January 14, 2023}}

Awards

Wright is the recipient of the Houston Treasure Award and ABC13's Woman of Distinction Award. She was also listed as a STEM Role Model, listed as one of the 50 Most Influential Woman in Houston, listed as one of the 25 Most Beautiful Houstonians, and inducted into the Citizens for Animal Protection's Hall of Fame. She was commissioned a Yellow Rose of Texas Award in 2022 by the Governor Greg Abbott for charitable contributions and volunteerism.

Personal life

Wright is a Southern Baptist and attends Second Baptist Church Houston.{{Cite web |date=April 2018 |title=President's Message {{!}} Hall of Fame |url=http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2018/spjun18/TGC%20Newsletter%20April%202018.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823043137/http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2018/spjun18/TGC%20Newsletter%20April%202018.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-23 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Texas Genealogical College}}

She is married to John Griffin "Jack" Wright, whom she met in college, and has two children and eight grandchildren, who are all members of the Children of the American Revolution.