National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) History
The Knights of Dunamis was an honor society of Eagle Scouts founded in San Francisco on April 19, 1925 by Scout Executive Raymond O. Hanson. The Knights of Dunamis, named after the Greek power or spirit. served as a service organization for local Scout councils and also hosted occasional social events.
To gain admittance to the Knights of Dunamis (KD), the Eagle Scout had to participate in a large or significant service project, in addition to the one that the Scout had to perform to gain his Eagle Scout award. The Knights awarded a special honor of their own, the Knights Eagle Award.
For about forty years after its founding, the national leadership of the BSA had an ambivalent attitude toward the Knights. From a peak of 110 chapters, there were only 37 chapters by 1971.
In 1972 the Knights of Dunamis was merged into the BSA and became the National Eagle Scout Association.
