Rebecca Goethe was a schoolgirl in war-ravaged France in 1918. Charles DeVries was a young American who left his studies at Hope College in Michigan, responding to the call for volunteers in the Army with the American Expeditionary Forces. Charles had known Rebecca less than three weeks when he proposed marriage. Their poignant story of war, romance, and a century of history will be in the spotlight when the French village where they met honors the Americans who came to France's rescue in WWI. Read this daughter's tribute to her parents' love and lives a century after the Great War brought them together, and how a French village remembers.

Joseph Weishaar, lead designer for America's World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC, had an Op-Ed published by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper last week. Weishaar's short but forceful message notes that building the national Memorial in DC "sends a signal to our families, children and grandchildren that courage, honor and sacrifice still mean something. It is a message to our current and future veterans that they will not be forgotten." Read Weishaar's thoughtful Op-Ed here.

Chautauqua was an adult-education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In those days before film & radio, the Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for a whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is "the most American thing in America."  A modern version of Chautauqua events are alive and well today -- and there will be a World War I-themed Chautauqua event held in Seward, Nebraska, on June 12th-18th, at the Nebraska National Guard Museum and the city of Seward. There will be speakers, presentations, reenactors, and displays, all talking about the Nebraska Guard, World War I, and present-day. All events are free and open to the public. We caught up with the one of the organizers for the event, Gerald Meyer, to talk to him about what visitors will see there. 

Josef Kelly is a professional artist based in the DC-area. He has recently become inspired by the stories of World War I, and started painting a series of pieces related to many themes found in the war. His work is remarkable, and it has earned him endorsement from the U.S World War I Centennial Commission, as a Commemorative Partner. We spoke with Josef recently about his work, about his inspirations, and about the series he is creating on WWI. 

In the nation’s great effort in 1917 and 1918 to raise the American Expeditionary Force that eventually grew to some 4.7 million men and some women, the enlistment of 30,000 men to fight for another country which at that time had not been on the map of Europe for some 120 years was overlooked. But the little-known Polish Army in France, principally made up of American volunteers of Polish descent, is a fascinating chapter of the war that deserves to be remembered. Read how the Polish diaspora created the American “Polonia” and how that community rallied to assist the victory that restored the nation of Poland to an independent existence.

This week's post is: "A Journey of Commemoration: The Great War through the Lens of Art", by Susan Werbe.

Susan is the executive producer of the "The Great War Theatre Project: Messengers of a Bitter Truth", performed in Boston, New York, and Letchworth (UK).

In the post she also discusses the process of weaving voice, dance, theatre, writings, and song cycles to examine the collective memory of war on the individual.

Werbe also talks about her latest project, "Letters You Will Not Get", a libretto, using various genres of women's WWI writing, set to commissioned contemporary music. Read the blog post to learn more about this wonderful showcase of an extraordinary, multidisciplinary project—not to be missed!

Less than 10 days until the grant Application Submission deadline.

There are less than 10 days to get  grant applications submitted. The grant application deadline is June 15, 2017.

If you have any last minute questions (and many of you have)  please contact us via the program's "submit a question" link.

We will get you answers immediately. Let us know what we can do to help you succeed.

The 100 Cities / 100 Memorials team!

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum Oral History Program

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum's (WVM) mission to affirm, commemorate, and acknowledge the achievements and sacrifices of Wisconsin veterans in America's military past.The WVM Oral History Program honors those who served by recording and preserving their stories and experiences. Since 1994, staff members and volunteers have conducted and collected over 2,100 interviews with veterans from around the state. The collection represents all branches and all conflicts and eras since World War I to the present day. The Museum recently opened a new temporary exhibit, WWI Beyond the Trenches: Stories from the Front. Throughout the next two years the museum will be offering programming and events that feature Wisconsin’s contribution to the Great War – in which 122,000 people from Wisconsin served. As part of these efforts, the Oral History Program will showcase the small but exciting collection of World War I oral history interviews. Read more about this remarkable Wisconsin program here.

Indiana

Samuel Woodfill: The Outstanding Soldier

Praised as “Outstanding” by AEF commander General John Pershing,1 Samuel Woodfill would be resoundingly praised as a hero following his return from Europe after World War I. For his bravery and heroism, he would receive the Medal of Honor as well as numerous other military honors both from the United States and several European nations. Though Woodfill reportedly disliked publicity, Indiana’s war hero would receive no shortage of it as he met with presidents, was given a standing ovation in Congress, and was chosen by General Pershing to represent the Army’s infantry as a pall bearer in the burial of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Renowned for his incredible feats as a soldier and remarkable humility as a hero, the Outstanding Soldier of the First World War is considered to this day to be one of Indiana’s greatest war heroes. Read more about this extraordinary soldier here.

Michigan

Pvt. Joseph W. Guyton, First American Soldier Killed on German Soil

Joseph Guyton was born on June 10, 1889 in Evart, Michigan, a small town known for its lumber mills back in its day.  Pioneers were just settling the area back in 1866 through homesteading after the Civil War.  He attended a small school house just outside of town.  At age 20 he married his sweetheart Agnes Winona Baker from Lake City, Mi.  Two years later in 1911 they had a daughter named Olive Clara Guyton.  Life at this point was going very well. In 1914 war broke out over in Europe.  America tried to stay neutral but Germany kept violating our neutral status.  On May 7, 1915 German U-boats sunk the sister ship to the Titanic, The Lusitania.  1198 passengers lost their lives including 128 American's.  America was very upset and cries for war emerged across the country.  Finally on April 6, 1917 the United States of America declared war on Germany.  Some men enlisted and others were drafted.  Guyton was drafted. Under military law Guyton could have refused to go since he only had a daughter and no name sake in case he should die.  Guyton was too proud not to go.  He felt it was his duty to go since he was called to war. Read his whole story here.

“THE NAVY NEEDS YOU!” Poster - $12.50
June 5, 1917 was Draft Registration Day! So on the 100th anniversary of 10,000,000 young men registering for the draft we proudly offer this Vintage replica WWI 14” x 24” poster inspired by the U.S. Navy’s plea to report to the nearest recruiting station.

A patriotic and distinctive way to accessorize your wall space, this commemorative poster is offered exclusively through the World War One Centennial Commission.

Like the poster suggests, you too can help make American history.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item goes towards funding America's World War One Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This and many other commemorative items can be found at the Official WW1 Commission merchandise shop.