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(Washington D.C.)- {This afternoon Rep. Levin will be joining Mayor Brenda Lawrence, City Librarian Dave Ewick, and Commission Chairman Dan Brightwell in an event honoring the work of the Southfield Veterans Commission in conjunction with the Veterans History Project.
The Veterans History Project collects and preserves the remembrances of American war veterans as well as the civilian workers who supported them. The collections of first-hand accounts are archived in the Library of Congress for use by researchers and to serve as an inspiration for generations to come. The Southfield Veterans Commission has collected over 70 histories from local veterans under the leadership of Dan Brightwell.
“The work of the Southfield Veterans Commission is incredibly important. It helps ensure that future generations will understand the tremendous sacrifice of their fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, great-grandparents, and all that have come before them,” said Rep Levin. “I want to encourage all veterans to take the time to record a history. Even basic details of every day life in the armed services will provide insight to our grandchildren. No history is insignificant.”
The event will be held at the Southfield Library, 26300 Evergreen Road, at 2pm. A copy of the congressional record statement submitted by Rep. Levin to honor the Southfield Veterans Commission is below.
Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. Anyone can submit histories so long as they follow guidelines set by the Library of Congress. For more information or to obtain a recording field kit please contact Alan Mlynek in Rep. Levin’s office at (202) 225-4961 or alan.mlynek@mail.house.gov.
**Inserted into Congressional Record***
HON. SANDER M. LEVIN
OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008
Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Southfield Veterans Commission and Southfield Public Library for their outstanding participation in the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress.
The Library of Congress Veterans History Project collects and archives the personal recollections of U.S. wartime veterans, to honor their service and to share their stories with current and future generations.
The Southfield Veterans Commission and Southfield Public Library have worked together to ensure that veterans from the city of Southfield and surrounding communities have their stories included in and honored by the project. Their efforts have become a model for other organizations and communities.
Under the leadership of chairman Dan Brightwell, the commission has collected the histories of over 70 local veterans. Each week, members of the commission volunteer their own time and skills to interview and record the stories of each veteran and prepare the histories to be archived at the Library of Congress.
These interviews have preserved extraordinary stories of individual service and important moments in our Nation's history. They include the first-hand accounts of a young man at Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941; a 21-year-old Army nurse lieutenant treating the wounded on Fiji islands; a Marine fighting on the island of Pelilu and Guadalcanal; a Tuskegee Airman shot down over Germany and captured as a prisoner of war; a 19-year-old Army private storming Normandy beach, and veterans from the most horrific battles of the Vietnam conflict.
The Southfield Public Library was named as a Partner Archive to serve as a local repository for Veterans History Project interviews. The library provides space each week for the collection of veterans' histories and has created an online archive where residents can easily view and enjoy local veterans' stories.
This Veterans Day, November 11, 2008, I am proud to recognize the Southfield Veterans Commission, the Southfield Public Library, and the local veterans who have contributed their stories to the Veterans History Project at a special event, ``Honoring Southfield's Veterans,'' at the Southfield Public Library. This special celebration brings together the Southfield community to honor local veterans for their service to their fellow citizens and country and the work of the local volunteers to preserve their stories so that future generations can learn from their service and sacrifice.
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