Veterans History Project

I believe we owe an enormous debt to our men and women in uniform. A great way to show our gratitude is to encourage them to share their memories and experiences. This is why my office is participating in the Veterans History Project (VHP). The VHP allows veterans and their families to record their stories and preserve them for future generations. These recordings are entered into the permanent collection in the Library of Congress, where they will serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices these men and women made defending our country.

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. You can search the database where more than 80,000 stories have been collected. Over 10,000 of those stories have also been digitized and are accessible online.

The Project collects first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from the following wars:

World War I (1914-1920)
World War II (1939-1946)
Korean War (1950-1955)
Vietnam War (1961-1975)
Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

In addition, those 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.

The Veteran’s History Project has collected nearly 80,000 stories and testimonials to date but there are more stories to be told. I urge you to take the time to not only thank our veterans and remember our country’s fallen soldiers, but also to ask the veterans in your life to record their stories. They serve as the most significant memorial we can possibly give to our nation’s fallen and living veterans.

Recording your Story

More and more veterans are returning home every day. Recording your story or the story of a friend or family member is easy. All you need is a video camera or recorder. In fact, veterans are also welcome to submit personal manuscripts and drawings. All interviews must also be at least 30 minutes in length and documents must be a specific number of pages.

Click here to see exactly what the Library of Congress accepts.

The first step is to register using an online form. Next, print out the VHP Field Kit, which also includes forms to submit. You can then prepare for and conduct your interview. Lastly, send your collection to the Library of Congress or drop it off at one of our offices and we can send it for you. But make sure to keep a copy for yourself!

Students and VHP

The Veterans History Project is a great opportunity for students at the high school and college level, as well as for scout troops and service groups, to get involved in the community. Sample materials and guidelines for student and youth participation can be found here.

In fact, an entire curriculum has been developed to help incorporate VHP into the classroom. For more information, visit the VHP website or contact my office.

VHP Partners

The Veterans History Project needs volunteers! Community organizations, veterans organizations, and service groups, among others, make great partners. My office is currently working to find additional partners to ensure the collection of stories and project success for years to come. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please contact my office at 309-786-3406.

Current partners include: