One of the largest veterans service organizations in the world, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW), has officially partnered with the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission for the Commission's innovative new veterans-awareness program: the WW1 Poppy Program, rolled out by the Commission two weeks ago. Founded in 1899, the Veterans of Foreign Wars is the oldest major veteran’s organization in the nation, and its membership, combined with that of its Auxiliary, stands at nearly 1.7 million people. They fund and manage programs that support veterans, service members and their families, as well as communities, worldwide. Click here to read more about the VFW joining the WW1CC Poppy Program, and how the program will help build the National World War One Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC, and assist local VFW Post projects.

Harlem Hellfighters, the fact-based graphic novel by World War Z author Max Brooks, is heading toward a six-hour limited-series on History Channel, developed by actor Will Smith's production company. Hellfighters, illustrated by Caanan White, was based on the real-life U.S. Army's 369th infantry division, an African American unit fighting in Europe during World War I. Breaking down racial barriers, the unit spent more time in combat than any other American unit, never losing a foot of ground to the enemy, or a man to capture, and went on to win countless decorations. They faced tremendous discrimination during the war and even when they returned from the front as heroes. Brooks is a long-time supporter of the Centennial Commission. Read more about the upcoming series here.

To commemorate the centennial of U.S. entry into World War I in 2017, the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center presents a two year-long exhibition, Congress and the World Wars. Through constituent correspondence, petitions, political cartoons, and posters, visitors will be able to see how Congress responded to the issues facing the nation and how that response impacted the lives of Americans and redefined the nation within the world. Dr. Matt Field, Exhibits and Education Program Specialist from the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, is curator of this exhibit, spanning WWI and WWII. He gives his insights on the exhibit, including the important connections between Congress’s actions in April 1917 and December 1941, the remarkable continued relevance of Congress’s actions during World War I to today, and the similarities between the actions during World War I and World War II. Click here for more about the exhibit.

The USA’s World War One Centennial Commission has made Brooke USA’s Horse Heroes campaign an official Centennial Partner, recognizing how America’s horses and mules contributed to the nation's war effort. Of the one million American equines who went to Europe, only 200 returned. In total, eight million horses and mules died in WW1. The role of Horse Heroes will be to remember the American horses and mules who served alongside their brave soldiers. Read more about this equine tribute here.

This week we have a post about Cape May County - where a volunteer has asked the city's help to refurbish their local WW1 Memorial. And they don't know about the 100 cities / 100 Memorials program. Do you know about a local project that could benefit from a matching grant? We are asking for your help in connecting those projects and us together.

This week, the WWrite Blog features another Women's History Month post with Navy Veteran and writer, Jerri Bell. Bell discusses Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a Navy Yeoman who enlisted during WWI as a journalist and afterwards went to work for the Red Cross in Paris to help war refugees.

This experience inspired her dynamic career as a writer of fiction and non-fiction. Stoneman's The Everglades: River of Grass is considered an environmentalist masterpiece and is often compared to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.

If you have a news item regarding WWI and writing, please contact: jennifer.orth-veillon@worldwar1centennial.org.

Happy Women's month! Looking back at images of The Great War and recognizing the sacrifices made by a generation one century ago, inspired the designs of our metal signs collection.

We hope you appreciate the combination of history and humor in each design.

This and many other official commemorative products are available at the official merchandise shop.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission (WW1CC) welcomes the partnership of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in the new WW1CC Poppy Program, the Commission's great new grassroots awareness and fundraising effort. AASLH is a national association that provides leadership and support for its members, who preserve and interpret state and local history, in order to make the past more meaningful to all people. AASLH has over 6,000 members across the country. The  Poppy Program can help raise revenue for your historical society while raising money for the National WW1 Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC. Read more about AASLH and the Poppy Program here.

John D. Monahan of Essex, Connecticut was sworn in as Commissioner on the United States World War One Centennial Commission during the American Legion’s 57th annual Washington Conference last week. He was appointed to this position by the American Legion. He has served the Legion in the past as commander of La Place-Champlin American Legion Post 18 in Essex, Conn. and in various post, state and national levels. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Monahan served in uniform both as an enlisted soldier and as an officer. His swearing in brings the Commission to its full authorized number of 12 commissioners. Read more about the ceremony and the Commission here.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will commemorate centennial of the official United States involvement in the First World War with a number of displays, exhibits, and programs.  The Museum holds a variety of collections demonstrating the transformative history of World War I and of the United States’ participation in it. The objects and their stories help illuminate civilian participation, civil rights, volunteerism, women’s military service, minority experiences, art and visual culture, medical technological development and new technologies of war and peace. Read more about the Museum's plans for commemorating the Centennial here.

Doug Batson is a living history performer, a former military geographer, and an expert in the geography of World War I. He brings these passions together when he does performances portraying Dr. Isaiah Bowman, then-Director of the American Geographical Society (AGS). In January 1918, President Wilson tapped Dr. Bowman to lead "The Inquiry," a group of distinguished geographers who served as a precursor to today's National Intelligence Council. With its vast collection of maps and reports, The Inquiry propelled America onto the world stage at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference -- and together, they developed President Wilson's Famous "14 Points". Read about Batson's thoughtful portrayal of the man whose pioneering work in WW1 is still shaping our national security structure today.

To kick off Womens History Month, the WWrite Blog features U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Writer, Tracy Crow, author of the critically-acclaimed memoir, "Eyes Right: Confessions from a Woman Marine", "On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story" and the anthology, "Red, White, and True: Stories from Veterans and Families, WWII to Present".

For this week's post, Crow discusses WWI Female Marine Sergeant Lela Leibrand, one of the first 10 women to join the Marine Corps. Leibrand was also mother to star Ginger Rogers. A great read!

In July 2017, she, along with co-editor Jerri Bell, will release the anthology, "It's My Country Too: Women's Military Stories from the American Revolution to Afghanistan".

This past weekend, the WWrite blog launched its weekend update, writerly news: all things writerly happening on the Commission's website for the past week plus, feature various news items about WWrite Bloggers including recent publications, public talks, and conferences. If you have a news item regarding WWI and writing, please contact: jennifer.orth-veillon@worldwar1centennial.org.

Cup 'O Ja or Tea Time  - enjoy a hot steamy beverage in an official WW1 Commemorative coffee mug.

This and many other official commemorative products are available at the official merchandise shop.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission is preparing for a major national event on April 6th, 2017, to mark the 100th anniversary of America's entry into the war. The event will take place at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Monique Brouillet Seefried, Ph.D., is a Commissioner on the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. Seefried has been a regular lecturer on World War I, its causes and its consequences. In an interview she talks with us about the event, the significance of the Centennial of WWI, and why the decision by the U.S. to enter the war is so important for the nation to commemorate 100 years later. Click here to read the entire interview.

Historian, author, and long time WW1CC web site contributor Robert Laplander has been very busy. He just released the third edition of his landmark book "FInding The Lost Battalion"; he is working on a new book about that unit's Commander, Charles Whittlesey; and he has been involved with the highly-anticipated PBS/American Experience series THE GREAT WAR. In addition to all that, Robert has been doing deep research with his "Doughboy MIA" section of the WW1 Centennial Commission web site, working to account for the World War I casualties who are still listed as 'Missing'. Click here to get a full update on all Robert's activities, and learn why he is dedicating so much effort to these WWI projects.

The WW1CC U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register is a living document of exhibits, commemorations, and events happening around the entire country. It is designed to help people find local things to see & participate in during the centennial period, part of teh Commission's role as a national clearing house for centennial activities. If your organization is planning an event (or many events) to commemorate the Centennial of WWI, put them on the Commission calendar--click here to learn how.

The image is of a WWI Military Recruitment Poster next to a 2008 Vogue Controversial Cover with Lebron James and Gisele Bundche.

To prove loyalty to the country and gain respect, blacks volunteered in droves to join the war and fight for their country side by side with whites.

Read this fascinating article by actor/writer Darryl Dillard as he explores the reality of the times and the implications for today in this week's feature article in the WWrite blog.

New York City has untold numbers of monuments and memorials spread out across its five boroughs, from the large Grant's Tomb to the modest Balto statue. There is one public park that has the highest concentration of World War I memorials in the city: Governors Island. A military base for two hundred years, the island roads are named for soldiers killed in the Great War and there are more than twenty bronze tablets dotting its 172 acres. For the centennial of the war, this project is to restore and replace three of these tablets: two for soldiers killed in hand-to-hand combat, and one for General John J. Pershing.

Read about this great 100C/100M project being spearheaded by Kevin Fitzpatrick

Basically, a partner organization can make a $64.99 donation and get a poppy seed kit, containing 60 poppy seed packets.

Then, the partner organization can turn around, and distribute the poppy seed packets for $2 a piece or more -- and the partner organization can keep that.

In this way, we raise money for the National World War I Memorial in Pershing Park, and we help our partner organizations to raise money for their own agenda.

Order the kit in the Official WW1 Centennial Merchandise Shop

Learn about the program at ww1cc.org/poppy

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission has launched its nationwide "WW1 Poppy Program" to enable groups across the country to support construction of the new National World War One Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC, while also raising funds for their own organization. The “WW1 Poppy kits” neatly package 60 poppy seed packets, to be used in fund-raisers for veteran service organizations, state WW1 centennial organizations, 100 Cities / 100 Memorials projects, or even scout troops, school and churches. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is officially announcing and endorsing the Poppy Program to its membership this week, and other national, state, and local organizations will be joining the program as well. The red poppy is an internationally recognized symbol of remembrance for veteran sacrifice. Each seed packet sparks awareness and conversation about the Centennial of WW1, and helps honor the legacy of the 4.7 million American veterans who served during the Great War. Click here to get all the information about how your organization can become part of this terrific program.

WW1CC.org/poppy

Welcome Colorado! The Colorado World War One Centennial Commission's new website is now officially operational at ww1cc.org/colorado. It is the first Mountain state to go live. At the new "Colorado in World War I" web site you will find information and photos that tell the story of Colorado in the great war, as well as an event calendar and a growing map of the state’s ‪World War One monuments, memorials, and historical sites. The CO development team will be joining us on the all new WW1 Centennial News Podcast show on Wednesday, February 22 or 28 to tell you more about their state program. We invite you to register for the WW1 Centennial News live show. Colorado joins a growing number of state sites hosted by the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission. To see the other states’ sites, click here.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission is preparing for a major national event on April 6th, 2017, to mark the 100th anniversary of America's entry into the war. Titled “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace: Centennial Commemoration of the U.S. Entry into World War I,” the event will take place at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Matthew Naylor, President and CEO of the Museum, is a Commissioner on the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. In an interview he talks with about the event, the significance of WW1, and why the Museum and Memorial is the right location for this commemorative event. Click here to read the whole interview.

U.S. World War I Centennial Commission Diplomatic Advisory Board member Carol Mosley Braun (right, top) pens an inspiring Op-Ed this week for the Military Times publications about the 350,000 African-Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War I. Soldiers like her own grandfather, Thomas Davie (right, bottom), attached to the Army’s 10th Calvary Regiment, served with honor and earned respect from American troops, Allied service members, and eventually the American public. The former Ambassador and Senator points out that the roots of the civil rights movement that swept America in the 1960s were planted through the heroic service of African-Americans 50 years earlier on the front lines of World War I. Read the entire thoughtful Op-Ed here.

American Legion Post 196 in Brownwood, Texas submits their 100 C/ 100 M Matching Grant proposal.

The World War I Memorial was located behind a bush, and most people had forgotten about it. With the help of the Central Texas Veterans' Memorial committee, the original World War I Memorial was moved from its old location to a new Central Texas Veterans' Memorial location in the 36th Division Memorial Park in Brownwood.

Read about their great project and see the interesting photos on the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials blog.

African American WW1 Veterans' Wives discover equality on the other side of the ocean.

This week, WWrite Blog Curator, Jennifer Orth-Veillon, offers her post entitled "On A Boat Alone," as she discusses the "Gold Star Pilgrimage," a U.S.-government sponsored program that brought wives to burial sites and battle grounds in Europe post WWI. She focuses on the African American women who took these trips and discovered equality, not in their own country, but on the other side of the ocean.

Read the article on the Commission's WWrite Blog