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Category: Narratives

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

“A Solemn but Glorious Hour” – Remembering VE-Day

Posted by: Kerry Ward

The following is a guest blog post by Justina Moloney, archivist with the Veterans History Project, and Kerry Ward, liaison specialist.  Seventy-five years ago, bells rang out around the world as Nazi Germany surrendered its armed forces – ending the war in Europe. The days following the surrender were filled with celebration, but the thought …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

VHP’S Newest Online Exhibit: End of WWII: 75th Anniversary

Posted by: Megan Harris

When the war ended, Gladyce “Pepper” Pederson Nypan cried, her tears dripping down into her dinner of mashed potatoes and gravy. Benjamin Cooper wrote a love letter to his wife. Alfred Newman watched his comrades fire off live ammunition, so intense was their celebrating. Jerome Yellin was still high in the sky over Japan, completing …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Words of Wisdom from the Descendant of a Survivor: ‘Stay Home and Play Your Banjo’

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Hope O’Keeffe, an attorney in the Library’s Office of General Counsel, and an ardent supporter of the Veterans History Project. To read a previous guest post about her family’s history of proud military service, go here. This is my grandfather, John McLaughlin, quarantined during the 1918 flu …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Flashbulb Memories: Where Were You When…?

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

Flashbulb memories are those vivid, autobiographical memories that form when we learn of a particularly surprising, traumatic or impactful event. These kinds of memories burrow themselves deep into our memory banks, and often remain dormant until triggered to resurface. An image. A sound. A scent. Anything, really, can be the catalyst that sets the wheels …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Coronavirus COVID-19 Impact: Veterans History Project Updates

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

During this global pandemic, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP) continues to meet its mission of collecting, preserving and making accessible the wartime remembrances of U.S. military veterans. While we recognize during normal circumstances what we do is incredibly important, currently we have taken steps to modify the way we work because the …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Winding Down the Civil Rights History Project: A Retrospective and Appreciation

Posted by: Guha Shankar

As African American History Month concludes in 2020, the AFC is proud to announce the culmination of the Civil Rights History Project (CRHP) with the online release of the last batch of the 145 video interviews recorded with veteran activists for the collection. All the interviews are available on the Civil Rights History Project page, at …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Veterans Art Showcase

Posted by: Kerry Ward

Whether crafting, performing, cooking, writing, or painting, art has the dynamic power to alleviate stress, build connections, and even stimulate recovery. For veterans and active duty service-members, art affords an outlet through which they can articulate – and process – what they experienced during their service. From November 5-9th, the Library of Congress Veterans History …