WASHINGTON, D.C. >> Congressman Mike Thompson (D — St. Helena) is encouraging schools and veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project.
The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center was created by the U.S. Congress in 2000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.
“This project provides an excellent opportunity for young people to hear firsthand what serving our nation during times of war means,” Thompson said. “By recording the stories of our veterans for posterity, generations of family and community members will be able to hear directly from those who served our country so they could grow up free.”
The program comprises individual audio- and video-recorded interviews, original photographs, letters and other historical documents from veterans of every war and conflict since World War I.
In addition, U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.
To date, the Veterans History Project has collected more than 95,000 oral histories from veterans in every state and congressional district. Students can interview local veterans and their video recordings will be submitted to the Library of Congress, where they will be archived for posterity. There are no deadlines for participation.
Veterans, veteran organizations, or schools who are interested in participating in this project should contact Thompson”s office at 645-1888 or email vetshistory.thompson@mail.house.gov.
Visit http://www.loc.gov/vets/ to learn how to get involved in the project.
