Friday, June 13, 2003

AARP and Atlanta History Center team up to preserve veterans history

The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, in partnership with the AARP and the Atlanta History Center, recently launched an effort to collect Georgia veterans's stories that will become part of the Veterans History Project (VHP).

The VHP is a congressionally mandated national effort by the Library of Congress to collect, record and preserve the personal experiences of veterans who fought in World War I, World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars as well as the civilians who supported them on the home front. Housed at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, it calls for all Americans to participate in the preservation of our nation's history by recording the accounts of our wartime veterans. There is a huge sense of urgency to collect these stories given that approximately 1,600 veterans die each day and only 500 American veterans of World War I are alive today.

In the coming months, the Veterans History Project, AARP and the Atlanta History Center will work closely to train volunteers on how to conduct oral histories and to recruit veterans who wish to share their wartime memories.

"We are thrilled to be a Veterans History Project partner and to help preserve veterans stories from Georgia," said Jim Bruns, executive director of the Atlanta History Center. "We encourage people of all ages in the state to get involved and for other organizations to help preserve our rich history for the benefit of future generations."

Each Wednesday beginning June 11, the Atlanta History center, with the help of AARP volunteers, will conduct oral interviews with local veterans from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information on the Veterans History Project, phone 1-888-371-5848 or visit www.loc.gov/vets.