This database includes articles, lesson plans and primary sources from the National WWI Museum and Memorial and our partners around the world, presented in collaboration with the United States World War One Centennial Commission.
Do you have resources that you want to share or have questions? Contact us at education@theworldwar.org.
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They Came to FightAfrican American Experience in World War ICreator: National WWI Museum and MemorialIn this lesson orginally created by Dr. Pellom McDaniels, III, Students will examine the conditions for African Americans living in the United States during the time of the Great War (1914-1918), paying particular attention to Jim Crow laws and the high rates of lynching in many states. They will learn about the Selective Service Act of 1917 and consider why African Americans were expected to serve a country that did not bestow on them full citizenship rights and allowed widespread and institutional discrimination.Download PDF |
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WWI Hero Henry Johnson Finally Receives Medal of HonorArticle by Sarah PruittCreator: HISTORY®Though Henry Johnson was hailed as one of the bravest Americans to fight in WWI, due to lasting racism in the U.S. it wasn’t until 2004 that he was granted the Medal of Honor. This article from HISTORY® tells his story from soldier to posthumous Medal of Honor recipient.Read Online |
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The Chinese Labour Corps at the Western FrontCreator: Commonwealth War Graves CommissionThe Chinese Labour Corps and its work is described in this article from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, along with information about the cemeteries in France that serve as many members’ final resting places.Download PDF |
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Racism & Canada’s Diverse Communities in WWIThe World Remembers: 1914 - 1918Creator: The World Remembers: 1914 - 1918Discrimination against minority groups initially prevented non-white males from volunteering for the Canadian military, though need eventually caused a shift in practice as WWI wore on. This essay follows the timeline of acceptance and describes different groups’ efforts to fight for Canada.Download PDF |
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James Reese Europe, the 369th Regiment Band and JazzTeaching Literacy Through HistoryCreator: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryThese four lessons address the connections between World War I, Black soldiers and jazz, focusing on the 369th Regiment band. The unit provides opportunities to study the Jim Crow climate in the United States, even as the country mobilized to “make the world safe for democracy.” Students will read essays by leading historians and explore a variety of visual and textual primary sources.Download PDF |
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The Forgotten MarchCreator: National Parks Conservation AssociationIn 1924, U.S. Congress agreed to pay a bonus for military service during the Great War—to be issued in 1945. Desperate to support their families during the Great Depression, veterans of all colors marched in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to release the promised funds prior to 1945. Learn more about the legacy of The Bonus March of 1932 through this article by Nicolas Brulliard for the National Parks Conservation Association.Read Online |
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We Return FightingThe African American Experience in World War ICreator: National Museum of African American History & CultureDiscover how post-WWI society built the foundations of the Civil Rights Movement with this online content from the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s exhibit, We Return Fighting: The African American Experience in World War I, which examines both the military and non-military lives before, during and after WWI.View Online |
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A Comparative Study of White and Black American Soldiers during the First World WarCreator: Jennifer KeeneThough the American military reflected the diversity of the U.S. population, federal segregation policies limited the visibility and opportunity of Black servicemen and women. From assignments to increased health risks, examine the contrasting experiences of white and Black soldiers with Dr. Jennifer Keene’s article, published in Annales de démographie historique.Read Online |
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World War I, African American Soldiers and America’s War for DemocracyTeaching Literacy through HistoryCreator: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryThis lesson plan provides an opportunity to analyze written texts and political cartoons in order to both understand the participation of Black soldiers in World War I and sharpen literacy skills related to the distinction between imply and infer. Students will answer two essential questions: How did World War I impact the lives of African Americans? To what extent did the patriotism of African Americans in World War I result in greater civil rights and racial justice?Download PDF |
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Art and Understanding World War ITeaching Literacy through HistoryCreator: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryThis three-lesson unit examines artistic expression from complementary perspectives of two American World War I soldiers. These works of art shed light on World War I in a compelling and very human way. Students will demonstrate what they have learned through their analysis of various primary sources with responses to essential questions.Download PDF |
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American Women and World War ITeaching Literacy through HistoryCreator: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryThis three-lesson unit examines the complexity of women’s contributions to World War I. Students will demonstrate what they have learned through their analysis of various primary sources with responses to essential questions.Download PDF |
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Americans All: Foreign-born Soldiers and World War ITeaching Literacy through HistoryCreator: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American HistoryThe three lessons in this unit explore the integration of foreign-born soldiers into the U.S. military during World War I and compares it to the integration of foreign-born civilians during World War I. Students are given the opportunity to read, analyze and evaluate an essay and a variety of primary sources.Download PDF |
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The Liberty LoansCreator: The Joe. L. Herbstman Memorial Collection of American FinanceThis online collection includes rare Liberty Loan bonds, advertising posters and documents related to Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo from the World War I era.Explore Online |
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The Gladstone Collection of African American PhotographsCreator: Library of CongressThese images from the collections of the Library of Congress document African American participation in the First World War.Explore Online |
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Influenza Epidemic of 1918 (Spanish Flu)Topics in Chronicling AmericaCreator: Library of CongressBetween the spring of 1918 and 1919, a virulent and fatal influenza swept the United States. This guide provides information for researching the "Influenza Epidemic of 1918 (Spanish Flu)" in the Topics in Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers from the Library of Congress.View Online |
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about this project
The United States World War One Centennial Commission and the National WWI Museum and Memorial are dedicated to educating the public about the causes, events and consequences of the conflict and we encourage the use of these resources to better understand the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.
Assisting in this endeavor are:
