On December 4, 1951, a group of earnest and dedicated citizens under the leadership of Dr. and Mrs. Harold M. Dudley founded a non-profit corporation, under Title 29, Chapter 6, of the District of Columbia Code. The stated mission and purpose of The Washington Pilgrimage, Inc. was to “preserve and celebrate the rich, diverse religious heritage of America and through it strengthen and enrich all aspects of American life”.
In April, 1953 the Department of the Treasury of the Internal Revenue Service issued a determination letter recognizing the organization as exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and, classified the organization as a public charity under section 509(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. The corporate name of the organization was changed to the Religious Heritage of America, Inc. on October 23, 1957.
The Religious Heritage of America was originally developed as a national, inter-faith, non-profit organization. The membership included men and women of all faiths and many occupations. In fact, it was a cross-section of our national religious life and its work was supported by voluntary contributions from interested friends. The Religious Heritage of America did not ask anyone to dilute his convictions. Rather it encouraged him to practice them as zealously as he desired within the framework of our sympathetic understanding with all other Faiths, for the strengthening of our Nation.
The major program of the Religious Heritage of America (RHA) in its inception was to present awards each year to outstanding Americans. These were presented in conjunction with a Washington pilgrimage in which participants met for prayer, thanksgiving, and visits to our Nation’s monuments – monuments that so compellingly embody the inter-relation of our religious heritage with freedom and democracy. Early supporters and honorees included Dr. Bill Bright, Dwight Eisenhower, W. Clement Stone, Cecile B. DeMille, Norman Vincent Peale, and Chuck Colson, among many other notables.
Over the years, the Religious Heritage of America has worked with National leaders to:
- Insert the words “One Nation Under God” (1954) into our Pledge of Allegiance.
- Open the Prayer Room in our Capital Building in Washington, D.C.; and, the Meditation Room in the United Nations building.
- Encourage the media to produce religiously orientated materials.
- Achieve a ban on drug-related themes in modern music recordings with the recording industry of America.
- Establish the Public Education Studies Center at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
- Recognize the National Day of Prayer Celebration (1979).
In the 1980’s the Religious Heritage of America began focusing more directly on restoring God in America. It sought to serve as a flexible instrument by addressing itself to the relevant needs within our Nation and by encouraging citizens to involve themselves actively in providing solutions to social and cultural problems.
In 1998, the Religious Heritage of America sought to “help restore the biblical and moral roots of America by merging faith with action” and announced the following strategies:
- To initiate and participate in projects of national scope that focus on education and restoration of our Judeo-Christian heritage;
- To formally recognize and publicly acknowledge on behalf of a grateful Nation, individuals and organizations who, by their words and example, reflect the values upon which America was founded, thereby leaving a legacy for their fellow man and upon the spiritual landscape of America;
- To become a National Resource Center – a Clearing House – for the religious heritage of America, providing comprehensive support, direction, guidance, and training to individuals and organizations; and,
- To establish the Nation’s foremost Leadership Institute, committed to the enduring issue of training leaders in the principles of Christ-centered leadership, and providing research, scholarly writings, and educational opportunities that equips them to impact society through their prominent positions within the
Religious Heritage of America
The corporate office of the Religious Heritage of America is now located in Camarillo, Calif. as of April 2016. Dr. Theodore Baehr serves as Chairman of RHA.
The history of the Religious Heritage of America is rich in its tradition of recognizing prominent individuals and organizations who, by their words and example, reflect the values upon which America was founded – refer to the following list of prominent awardees from 1951~2000; along with quotes from past leaders on the Religious Heritage of America. Today the Religious Heritage of America remains committed to the Judeo-Christian traditions brought to this country by our Nation’s Founding Fathers.