LVMAC Tidbit — A Lehigh Valley Museum Finally Gets To It: Vietnam Veterans, Will You?
“American involvement in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) was one of the most tumultuous events in modern history. More than fifty years since the war began, Vietnam remains an emotional topic. The goal of this exhibit is to enlarge perspective for this unresolved era … The content will be visual, highly educational, and extremely patriotic. This is exhibit will open in early 2014,” states the exhibit synopsis from the Lehigh County Historical Society (LCHS).
The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, operated by the LCHS, knows how to do research properly and has done many histories on World War II veterans since the 1990’s. Now, it must begin moving into the Vietnam War era to continue to make itself relevant.
Consequently, it is in urgent need of and actively seeks Vietnam War veterans who would be willing to share their experiences and perhaps some of their artifacts for the exhibit, expanding the existing collection. It wants to tell the story through their eyes and experiences and needs to start the building the collection now. LVMAC urges you to contact it (see below) and to tell other organizations and individuals as well of this important opportunity to share history.
Besides being part of the exhibit, the oral histories would become a permanent part of its collection; and since the Museum also is a participant in the Library of Congress Veteran’s Oral History Program, these histories will become part of the Library of Congress’ collection as well.
Why help? The LCHS exhibit synopsis says,
Most young people know nothing about American or local history … In November of 2008 the Intercollegiate Studies Institute issued a shocking report titled, Our Fading Heritage, which warned ‘Civic education needs to be improved significantly.’ This news underscores the public’s ignorance of our nation’s history and its federal institutions. Most of America’s troubles stem from a public that is alarmingly deficient in their history, the U.S. Constitution, and the role of all citizens to participate in local civic affairs. For decades, the teaching of civics and the key texts of American history have been edged out by math and science, resulting in narrow-thinking adults, lacking perspective and civic ideals …
One of the intentions of the exhibit is to educate these young people through interactive school tours, a purpose for which this museum is well suited.
To sign up or for more information, contact: Ms. Jill Youngken, Assistant Director/Chief Curator of the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum at 432 W. Walnut Street, Allentown, PA 18102, tel: 610-435-1074 or email: j_youngken@lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org.
###
As of 6 June 2013