From Jim Himes:
Himes Launches Veterans History Project
Invites local veterans to share their stories for preservation in the national archive
Bridgeport, CT– Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) has launched an effort to encourage local veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project. Organized by the Library of Congress, the campaign seeks to preserve the stories of veterans throughout the country as part of the national archive.
“There is no better way to honor and give thanks to our war veterans than to have their personal experiences recorded as part of the permanent historical record of our nation,” said Himes. “I hope veterans from across the District along with their friends, family, and neighbors will join this effort to create a collection of memories to present to the Library of Congress.”
Congress created the Veterans History Project to collect and preserve audio- and video-taped oral histories from America’s war veterans along with other documentary materials such as photographs, diaries, and letters. When Congress created this project, it imagined broad public involvement, including grandchildren interviewing grandparents; students talking with veterans and home-front supporters in their community; veterans interviewing each other; and libraries, museums, and civic groups starting their own projects.
The Congressman has invited veterans and military families of the Fourth District to participate in this project. Personal accounts from veterans, letters or memories from friends and family members, and group submissions are all welcome. Himes will travel personally to veterans’ posts, auxiliaries, and clubs to conduct his own interviews with local veterans.
Instructions and guidelines for participation are available through a link on the Congressman’s website, on the Veterans History Project website, or by contacting the project message line at 1-888-371-5848. Constituents who would like assistance submitting their story or that of a loved one should contact Peter Yazbak in the Congressman’s Bridgeport office at 866-453-0028
