Veterans History Project facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veterans History Project |
|
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Scope | To collect and preserve firsthand remembrances of U.S. wartime veterans |
| Established | 2000 |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | recorded interviews, original letters, diaries, photos, memoirs and historic documents related to a veteran's wartime service |
| Size | over 65,000 collections |
The Veterans History Project is a special program created by the United States Congress in 2000. Its main goal is to collect and save the personal stories of U.S. veterans who served in wars. Imagine hearing directly from people who experienced history! This project helps future generations understand what war was really like. It's part of the Library of Congress, which is like a giant national library in Washington, D.C..
The project gathers these stories through interviews. People all over the country, including schools and community groups, help record these talks. Besides interviews, the project also collects original letters, diaries, photos, and other documents from veterans. All these items are then kept safe at the Library of Congress. By 2010, the project had over 65,000 collections. It became the largest program of its kind in the nation that collects spoken histories. It's a very important resource for students, historians, and anyone who wants to learn more about war experiences.
The idea for the Veterans History Project became a law on October 27, 2000. It was supported by many lawmakers, including Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer. Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel also helped make it happen. President Bill Clinton signed it into law, meaning everyone agreed it was a great idea.
Contents
Who Leads the Project?
The Veterans History Project has had several leaders over the years:
- 2000-2006: Ellen McCulloch Lovell
- 2006-2016: Robert Patrick
- 2016-Present: Karen Lloyd
Cool Projects and Events
The Veterans History Project often works with others to share veterans' stories in fun and interesting ways.
Films and TV Shows
In March 2007, during Women's History Month, the project showed a series of films and TV episodes. These highlighted American servicewomen who served in the major wars of the 20th century.
- March 2: Mad Parade (1931) and 100% American (1918)
- March 9: Ladies Courageous (1944) and Women in Defense (1942)
- March 16: Flight Nurse (1953) and M*A*S*H episode season 7, episode 16: "Inga" (1979)
- March 23: An episode from the TV series China Beach and a news report called "Woman Doctor in Vietnam" (1966)
- March 30: Courage Under Fire (1996)
Working with PBS
In 2007, the project teamed up with PBS for a special event. This led to the airing of the seven-part documentary The War by Ken Burns. This TV series showed how important it is to collect first-hand stories from veterans. It also featured civilians who helped with war efforts, like Rosie the Riveters and USO volunteers.
Online Resources
The Veterans History Project launched a special website on October 1, 2007. This website helps people explore each episode of The War. It shares related historical events through the eyes of hundreds of World War II veterans. The site also shows off the many different types of media collected by the project.
Celebrating Anniversaries
The project often celebrates important dates and milestones:
- On Veterans Day in 2008, they shared stories online from African American soldiers. These soldiers were part of the 92nd Infantry Division during World War II.
- In 2010, the project celebrated its 10th anniversary. The Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington, encouraged everyone to help collect more veteran stories.
- For its 15th anniversary, the project created a new online presentation called "VHP at 15: Collections Over the Years." This highlighted fifteen special collections.
- The Veterans History Project celebrated its 20th anniversary with online concerts and discussions from November 6 to 14, 2020.
- November 6: Barbara Martin
- November 7: "In Love and War" - Roxanne Seeman, Elise Solberg, and Hannah Goldblatt
- November 8: "Still Over There" - Franklin Tootle, Operation Song
- November 9: Veterans talked about being part of the project
- November 10: "Old Glory" - Kimberley Mitchell, Operation Song
- November 12: Discussion on how organizations can work with the project
- November 13: "Precious Pearl" - Kimberley Mitchell, Operation Song
- November 14: Discussion on volunteering to make history
