(As Amended at the annual meetings in Seattle, Washington on August 20, 1983 and Salt Lake City, Utah on August 31, 1996 and Indianapolis on October 12, 1998, and Indianapolis on October 7, 2003, corrected.)

ARTICLE I - Name - Headquarters

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, DEPARTMENT HISTORIANS, THE AMERICAN LEGION. Official approval was given by the National Executive Committee of The American Legion in 1949.

Section 2. The National Headquarters of this organization shall be the business office of the National Historian.

ARTICLE II - Eligibility

Section 1. This Association is a voluntary union of American Legion National and Department Historians and Past National and Department Historians desiring to give and gain mutual aid in collecting from year to year all records and data of value and interest to and for The American Legion, National and Departmental; in the compilation during their respective term of office of complete histories of the year’s activities; for the assistance of Post Historians so as to coordinate and unify their work; for the stimulation of interest in the preparation of the Department and Post Histories; and for the increase of appreciation of importance and responsibility of the office of Historian.

Section 2. Any Department Historian, any Assistant Department Historian, when a Department provides for such office by its By-Laws, any past Department or Past National Historian may become a member of this Association upon subscribing to its By-Laws, completing the application form and by paying annual dues in advance.

Section 3. The National Historian and National Librarian shall be Honorary Members of this Association with full privilege of Membership without payment of dues.

ARTICLE III - Officers - Duties

Section 1. The Association shall, during each Fall Meeting of the National Executive Committee Meeting, at which time elect from its membership a President, one Vice President from each Area designated in Article III, Section 2c., a Secretary, and a Treasurer, all for one term of one year. With exception of the President, all may serve indefinitely. The President may serve not more than two (2) consecutive terms.

Section 2. a. The President shall be the presiding officer at all meetings. He/she may appoint such chairman as he/she deems necessary. He/she shall appoint the following officers: Judge Advocate, Chaplain, Assistant Chaplain, Sergeant-at-Arms, Editor of the Newsletter, and Historian. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three (3) at the Fall Meeting. This Committee shall solicit nominees for the various elective offices. Such nominees shall be announced in the Newsletter. No name shall be placed in nomination without the consent of the Nominee. No member of the Executive Committee shall serve on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall make their final report at the annual meeting. The President shall appoint at least three from the NADHAL Association to serve as an Advisory Committee.

b. In case of death or disability of the President of NADHAL, the Advisory Committee, by mail ballot to the entire membership, shall elect a successor from among the nine Vice Presidents; when a temporary absence from a meeting is necessary, the President shall designate an acting President from among the Vice Presidents present at such meeting.

c. Each Area Vice President shall be membership chairperson in his/her respective area. Distribution of the Departments shall be as follows:

AREA 1

AREA 2

AREA 3

AREA 4

AREA 5

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Vermont

France

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Delaware

District of Columbia

Kentucky

Maryland

Virginia

West Virginia

Florida

Georgia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Tennessee

Alabama

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mexico

Mississippi

Oklahoma

Texas

Area 6

Area 7

Area 8

Area 9

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Michigan

Ohio

Wisconsin

Kansas

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

North Dakota

South Dakota

Alaska

Idaho

Montana

Oregon

Philippines

Washington

Wyoming

Arizona

California

Colorado

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

Utah

 d.  The Secretary and Treasurer shall perform such duties as are pertinent to a similar office in parliamentary bodies.  The Treasurer is authorized to pay all bills as provided in the approved budget from the income except such income as is restricted under Article VI, Section 2.  The Treasurer shall submit a budget for consideration and approval at the annual meeting.

e.  The Secretary will perform the duty of recording minutes.

ARTICLE IV - Meetings

Section 1.        This Association shall meet semi-annually, at the time and place of the National Convention of The American Legion and in Indianapolis at the time of the Fall Meeting of the National Executive Committee and at such meetings each member shall be entitled to one vote.  Any member unable to attend such meetings may appoint any other member of our Association to represent him/her by proxy at such meetings.  No individual can hold more than one proxy.

Section 2.        Eight (8) members of this Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 3.        The opinions and sentiments of members may be ascertained by mail between meetings and the results canvassed and published.

ARTICLE V - Executive Committee

Section 1.        Between meetings, the administrative power of this Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee which shall be composed of the elected Association Officers.

Section 2.        Vacancies in the elective offices shall be filled by the President to serve until the close of the next annual meeting.

ARTICLE VI - Finance

Section 1.       Each member of the Association shall pay annual dues of five dollars ($5.00), to be collected by and placed in the custody of the Treasurer.

Section 2.        The Association may accept contributions from any Department, any Post or individual for any special purpose or general use and such contributions shall not be expended for any purpose not authorized by the contributor.

Section 3.        The expense, due to informal meetings and refreshments, of the President in his/her room at the Indianapolis meeting will be paid by the Treasurer, upon statement furnished.

Section 4.        Unless specifically voted at meetings or provided in these By-Laws, all other expenditures must first have approval of a finance committee appointed by the President.

Section 5.        A suitable plaque properly inscribed shall be presented to the outgoing President of NADHAL. Responsibility for obtaining the Plaque will be the Treasurer’s.

ARTICLE VII - Parliamentary Authority

Section 1.        These By-Laws may be amended at any Annual or Semi-Annual meeting by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the total representation thereat, provided, that the proposed Amendment shall have been submitted to the membership by mailing same to them at least 30 days prior to the meeting; and provided further, that it may be amended by unanimous vote at any Annual meeting without notice.

Section 2.        Roberts Rules of Order, latest revised, shall be the parliamentary guide and authority in matters not herein provided for.