Upcoming
“World War I and America” Events
Events will be hosted by Peters Township Public Library
in partnership with VFW Memorial Park Post 764 and the
Veterans Breakfast Club.
An OPENING EVENT commemorating the 100th anniversary of the United
States’ entry into WWI in 1917 will take place on Thursday, Aug. 3, at 6:30
p.m. Valerie Williams and members of The Abbey Players, under the direction
of Nicole Tafe and Lorra Brannen, will welcome visitors to the program with
a rendition of World War I songs and readings. Retired Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Wright, Veterans Breakfast Club board member and former Air Force
pilot, will introduce guest speaker Michael Neiberg, World War I scholar and
Library of America “WWI and America” project consultant, who will present a talk
titled “America’s Road to War, 1914 -1917.”
“World War I and America” Centennial Exhibition – This traveling exhibit
explores the transformative impact of the First World War and will remain at the
library through Aug. 23.
Sunday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. – Discussion of two World War I films, “Dawn
Patrol” (1930) and “Sergeant York” (1941), will be facilitated by Professor David
R. Shumway, Carnegie Mellon University faculty member, and director of the
Humanities Center at the university.
Thursday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. – “Experience of War” and “Why Fight” panel
discussion led by Todd DePastino, historian and executive director of the
Veterans Breakfast Club. Panelists include George Dvorznak, facilitator, Library
World War II Discussion Group; Retired Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Wright and
local veterans.
Note: Participants registering for the Aug. 24 panel discussion will be provided
access to the downloadable “World War I and America: Told by the Americans
Who Lived It” Project Reader edited by Pulitzer Prize winner A. Scott Berg.
Sunday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. – World War I Book/Film Discussion (“All Quiet on
the Western Front”) will be facilitated by Professor David R. Shumway.
Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. – “United States’ Entry into World War I” presented
by Todd DePastino, historian and director of the Veterans Breakfast Club.
I and America Programming and Support Guide’
and the Project Reader ‘World War I and America:
Told by the Americans Who Lived It,’ edited by
Pulitzer Prize winner A. Scott Berg in collaboration
with distinguished World War I scholars Jennifer D.
Keene, Edward G. Lengel, Michael S. Neiberg and
Chad Williams,” she notes. “We also have access to
multimedia resources for public programming including
video commentary by WWI scholars and veteran
writers, a free downloadable reader of historical texts,
a timeline and an exhibition of documents and images
from World War I.”
The library’s planned events and programs will
focus on the recommendations outlined in the “WWI
and America” project resources. An opening night
event on August 3 will feature period music including
performances of war songs and war readings by Valerie
Williams and members of St. Benedict the Abbot
Church’s The Abbey Players, under the direction of
Nicole Tafe and Lorra Brannen. WWI scholar Michael
Neiberg will open the exhibit with his presentation
titled “America’s Road to War, 1914 –1917.” Many other
events associated with the grant will follow throughout
the rest of this year.
While the Peters Township Library’s “WWI and
America” grant programs will be suited mostly for an
adult audience, the three-week long exhibition will be
interesting and informative to an audience of all ages.
To view a list of programs and events that will be taking
place as a part of this grant throughout the country, visit
WWIAmerica.org.
“Hosting the ‘WWI and America’ traveling exhibit
is a true honor that provides us with the visuals and
opportunity to share a national exhibition, noted
speakers, purposeful programming and even a taste of
local WWI history with our community,” says Oleynik.
“I would like to thank Margaret Deitzer, head of our
reference department, for her dedication in writing this
grant and pursuing it to its fullest with scheduled top-
notch speakers and a variety of educational events for
all ages.”
For more information, visit ptlibrary.org. n
Continued on next page ➢
“World War I and America” is presented by the
Library of America in partnership with the
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
and the National World War I Museum and
Memorial, with generous support from the
National Endowment for the Humanities.
U.S. soldiers wave from
a troop ship embarked
for France. (WWI, 1917)
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