A symposium to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I will be held Saturday, May 5, in the Trutter Center of Lincoln Land Community College.
The public is cordially invited to the free symposium entitled “Bringing ‘Over There’ Back Here” which begins with a continental breakfast and World War I exhibit at 8:30 a.m. Keynote speaker will be James Barkley, Director of Education at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. The symposium will also feature presentations and displays by LLCC faculty and students on varied aspects of the war, and will conclude at 1:00 p.m. with an announcement of a World War I trench project on campus.
“We chose the theme of Bringing ‘Over There’ Back Here to shine a spotlight on the continuing relevance of World War I,” said Chris McDonald, Ph.D., professor of political science and symposium coordinator. “World War I was the first global war and in many ways led to the birth of the modern United States. The war reshaped the roles and expectations of women and African-Americans in domestic society, and broader perceptions about the place of the U.S. in the world. Even the creation of the modern Middle East came about because of World War I. It was the war that shaped the century and was the first time the U.S. acted as a world power.”
The symposium will feature an “interview” with Woodrow Wilson, an examination of both home front and military issues, and panel discussions on such topics as the Armenian genocide, “shell shock” and the role of women in the conflict. Audience participation and questions will be encouraged throughout.
Also featured will be a reader’s theatre and a display of WWI uniforms, weapons, diaries and other historic memorabilia such as gramophones and sheet music, from both home and “over there.”
Registration (encouraged but not required) is available by calling 786.2218.