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Posted by: Kerry Ward
What does it take to build a national archive from the ground up? In this installment of our 25th anniversary series, we hear from the Veterans History Project’s first director whose leadership helped turn a powerful idea into a lasting tribute to veterans' voices.
Posted in: Storytelling, Veterans History Project, VHP 25th
Posted by: Kerry Ward
As the Veterans History Project celebrates its 25th anniversary, Director Monica Mohindra reflects on the Project’s mission to preserve and share the firsthand stories of U.S. veterans. This post introduces a 25-part blog series honoring veterans, past leaders and the collective effort that has built a national archive of more than 120,000 personal narratives.
Posted in: Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project, VHP 25th
Posted by: Kerry Ward
For several years, the U.S. Navy Memorial has hosted students from around the country through its Sea Service internship. As part of the program, interns conduct oral histories of Navy veterans and produce short films based on those interviews. The full interviews are then donated to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP). For the first time, VHP and the U.S. Navy Memorial are inviting all students in grades 5-12 to create and submit short documentaries featuring the stories of U.S. veterans for the 2025 Sea Service Film Festival. This festival is the perfect opportunity for teachers and parents to get young people involved in documenting and preserving the history of our nation’s veterans. This blog contains the call for entries to the VHP/Navy Memorial Film Festival, including an overview of the festival, submission guidelines, and rules.
Posted in: Film, Navy, Storytelling, teachers, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Kerry Ward
The following is a guest blog post by Candace Milburn, liaison specialist with the Veterans History Project. Have you ever wondered what a Warrant Officer does in the military? When I hear the word “warrant,” my mind immediately goes to think about an arrest warrant or police searches. But during a recent documentary screening at …
Posted in: AFC Events, African Americans, Film, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Kerry Ward
As we stand at the threshold of a new year, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the remarkable stories of those who came before us, especially the courageous women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, highlighted in Tyler Perry’s recent Netflix film, The Six Triple Eight. Just like the beginning of a new …
Posted in: African American History, Cultural Heritage, Diverse Experiences in Service, Narratives, New Year's Day, Occupations and Specialties in Service, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project, Women's History
Posted by: Kerry Ward
The following is a guest blog post by veteran and Veterans History Project participant Earl Porter III. Porter’s VHP interview can be found on our website. On September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I crested Mt. Katahdin in Maine, the start point for southbound Appalachian Trail (AT) “thru-hikers.” The AT is a 2,190+ …
Posted in: Afghan War, COVID-19 pandemic, Iraq War, Oral History, Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Storytelling, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Kerry Ward
The following is a question-and-answer session with author Tim O’Brien in anticipation of the film screening of The War and Peace of Tim O’Brien with special guest and director of the documentary, Aaron Matthews on Thursday, May 11th from 5pm-8pm at the Library of Congress. Prior to the film, enjoy live music from Gold Star sister, Barbara Martin, …
Posted in: Film, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project, Vietnam War
Posted by: Kerry Ward
The following is a guest blog post by Andy Wolanski, a liaison specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). The Veterans History Project (VHP) proudly celebrates Women’s History Month by highlighting female veterans across a wide variety of backgrounds, conflicts, and military service branches. The current “Go Box” display that I curated for the VHP …
Posted in: Afghan War, Iraq War, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project, Vietnam War, Women's History
Posted by: Kerry Ward
Veterans Day season is understandably a traditionally busy time for the Veterans History Project (VHP) staff and supporters. With media interviews, performances, workshops, exhibits, veteran/Gold Star family member interview opportunities and ceremonies, this year was certainly no different. As we bask in the afterglow of successfully sharing stories through multiple mediums, I would be remiss …
Posted in: Narratives, Storytelling, Veterans History Project, World War I, World War II