The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

A participant may be a veteran, an inter-
viewer, or person donating a veteran’s collection. The Project collects first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from World War I through the Iraq War. There are special resources available for educators and students.

Stories can be told through:
Personal Narratives: audio and video-taped interviews, written memoirs.
Correspondence: letters, postcards, 
v-mail, personal diaries
Visual Materials: photographs, drawings, scrapbooks.

To learn more about the Veterans History Project and donating a collection, go to their website: www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home