What are your goals for 2026?
Are you looking to deepen your community connections through oral history? Interested in expanding your portfolio of humanities skills and professional networks?
On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project provides community and professional development opportunities through “The Open Door.” This public program includes two comprehensive oral history workshops and a midday, two-hour resource fair featuring a host of public-facing Library of Congress divisions, D.C. humanities institutions, and veteran-serving organizations.
Please refer to the schedule of events below:
Defining Oral History workshop (10AM-12PM)
Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ-119
Learn fundamental oral history skills to help you document life events at a two-hour workshop facilitated by staff from Humanities D.C. and the Veterans History Project. Designed for beginner and novice historians who want to advance their documentary skills.
Humanities and Experiential Learning Resource Fair (12-2PM)
Thomas Jefferson Building, Rooms LJ-110 – 113
Explore local resources to advance your research and oral history projects. Meet staff from the Library of Congress Informal Learning Office, Internship & Fellowship Programs, Professional Learning and Outreach and Veterans History Project, as well as humanities groups like the DC History Center, Humanities DC, DC Public Library and Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Library of Congress also welcomes DC-area veteran-focused organizations Dog Tag Bakery and the Veterans Curation Program.
Planning Oral History Projects workshop (2PM-4PM)
Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ-119
Elevate recorded stories in an oral history project planning workshop facilitated by staff from Humanities DC and the Veterans History Project. The two-hour workshop will explore the essential considerations and components of oral history collections, as well as how to preserve and share your recordings.
All events are open to the public and free of charge, but reservations are required. Please reserve tickets at this link.
This event is possible through a generous donation from the Buffy and William Cafritz Family Foundation, Inc., who saw an opportunity to uplift and preserve DC voices through the Veterans History Project)
Request ADA accommodations at least five business days in advance by contacting (202) 707-6024 or [email protected]. For event-related questions, please email [email protected].
As the Veterans History Project celebrates its 25th anniversary, we reflect on the extraordinary collection of narratives and artifacts that have been entrusted to us over the years. These stories, told through interviews, letters, photographs and personal mementos, form a powerful record of military service and sacrifice across generations.
To honor this milestone, we are sharing a 25-part blog series highlighting the voices of veterans, the individuals who shaped and sustained the Project and the deep impact these stories continue to have on families, researchers and communities nationwide.