WORKSHOP PLANNED FOR VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT
The History Channel’s Web site introduces Memorial Day as more than a three-day weekend marking the beginning of summer. “To many people, especially the nation’s thousands of combat veterans, this day, which has a history stretching all the way back to the Civil War, is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country, the site begins.
To Randy Williams, director of the Fife Folklore Archives at Utah State University, that statement brings into focus the importance of the Veterans History Project ~ a project that aims to collect and preserve the history of America’s war veterans who, it is estimated, are dying at the rate of 1,500 a day.
Utah State University’s Special Collections and Archives is an official partner in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (www.loc.gov/vets). To accomplish the project’s goals, a workshop is planned to train volunteers in the effort.
The intention is to collect and preserve oral histories, along with materials such as letters, diaries, maps, photographs and home movies of America’s war veterans and those who served to support them. Volunteers are needed to complete this effort.
A training session for Veterans History Project volunteers is June 14 and runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Mount Logan Middle School (875 North 200 East, Logan). The session is free and focuses on training to collect veterans‚ oral histories.
“The workshop will train volunteers to record and transcribe the story of northern Utah war veterans and those who served in support of them,” said Williams.
The one-day workshop includes lunch, hands-on activities and supplies. Registration is required and enrollment is limited to the first 40 participants. To register, or for more information, call Williams at (435) 797-3493 or (435) 797-2869 or email randy.williams@usu.edu.
Utah State’s efforts will concentrate on the veterans and other support personnel who live in Cache, Box Elder and Rich counties. Areas of southern Idaho will also be included as well as information from Utah State alumni, faculty and friends.
This mission of the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress is to collect the memories, accounts and documents of war veterans from the wars of the last century ~ from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and the first Persian Gulf War. Special Collections and Archives will serve as a regional repository of oral history interviews generated from the project. All interviews and collections generated by Utah State’s portion of the project will be included in the Library of Congress National Registry of Service.
“As a historian, I am pleased that Utah State University Special Collections and Archives is an official partner of Veterans History Project,” said Utah State University President Kermit L. Hall. “It is vital to provide training for the project so we can collect the stories of our war veterans and support persons. This project will bring insightful materials to Special Collections and Archives, illuminating our local, state and national history for present and future generations.”
Those who want to participate in the project can do so in three ways, Williams said. Those interested can attend the workshop and volunteer to collect veterans‚ oral histories. Others can submit oral histories, diaries, letters and photographs that will be made available for future generations.
A number of organizations and businesses have joined Utah State University and Special Collections and Archives in this effort. The partners include The Library of Congress American Folklife Center, the Utah Humanities Council, the American Folklore Society, Utah State’s Mountain West Center for Regional Studies, Utah State University Libraries, Watkins Printing and “The Herald Journal.”