When we fade away, our stories go with us, unless we share them.
That’s part of the idea behind the Veterans’ History Project, a 14-year-old effort of the Library of Congress. It’s preserved almost 100,000 stories from World War I-era vets forward.
“The veterans’ personal recollections have made this the largest such collection in American history,” said Anne Craig, director of the Illinois State Library, at a ceremony honoring veterans and their participation.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who counts the library as part of his jurisdiction, tells a story of his own: when, as a Chicago Cub signee, wound up in basic training instead of spring training.