African American Women and WWI

When the United States joined the war in 1917, Americans from all walks of life wanted to “do their bit.” This included African American women, who found a variety of ways to support the war effort

The Violin

Plaintive music wafts across a French compound where German prisoners of war are held behind the wire.

Knitting the Nation

American women had been knitting socks and sweaters for relief organizations overseas prior to the United States entering WWI, but when these women’s husbands, brothers and sons started enlisting i

Ruth Law

At age 21, Ruth Law bought her first airplane from Orville Wright, who refused to train her since he believed women did not have the mechanical aptitude for flight.

Ersatz

By 1915, the great demand for material resources to support the war effort caused supplies that German civilians and soldiers commonly used to dwindle, increasing their costs and value.

Coffee and WWI

While there were no coffee shops on every corner in Europe during WWI, American soldiers and sailors could still get that hot cup of coffee.

Black Soldiers in WWI

Oral history provides rich support to the written records that fill the Museum and Memorial’s collection.

Historian Michael S. Neiberg on Ukraine and WWI

Neiberg, a member of the Museum and Memorial’s International Academic Advisory Board, reflects on four signposts from the First World War that provide a guide to the war in Ukraine and what might h

Religious Icons in Art and War

Calling upon classical Christian imagery, Saint Javelin became an online phenomenon in March 2022, mostly thanks to social media.

Memorial Day 1918

A recently processed Y.M.C.A. newsletter, The Daily Rumor, highlights how one group of soldiers observed Memorial Day 1918 “Somewhere in France.”

Balloons and Dirigibles in WWI

Like it did for tanks and gas masks, the First World War spurred scientists and engineers to make advancements in the field of “lighter-than-air” technology – balloons.