This Veterans Day, honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans by volunteering to transcribe an oral history through the Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP). When you help preserve these firsthand accounts, you ensure that a veteran’s story and experiences will be remembered for generations to come.
In 2022, the VHP and the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF) renewed a partnership that began in 2003 for collecting transcriptions with a Memorandum of Understanding. Since the start of the partnership, NCRA members have volunteered their services to work with NCRF and the Library of Congress to record and transcribe the moving stories of nearly 5,000 U.S. veterans and Gold Star Families, building a legacy of the diverse group of men and women who have served our nation.
Learn more about hosting a VHP event
NCRA members can learn more about how to host a successful VHP event by downloading the Veterans History Project Event Tool Kit. The tool kit features a catalog of downloadable resources, including tips on how to plan and host a successful VHP event, valuable links to the Library of Congress VHP website, media advisory and business card templates, and more.
These support materials have all been successfully used in previous VHP events hosted by NCRA and NCRF and have been packed into one tool kit to assist members in continuing this effort to preserve history.
Other resources include links to military organizations, a list of dates recognizing military-related observances, a video loop, a PowerPoint presentation about the program, and information on how to reach out to NCRA for contact information for veterans throughout the country who are eager to share their wartime experiences for the VHP.
NCRF and NCRA encourage members to share their stories about participating in VHP events as well as any tips they would like to share with others. Submit your VHP stories and ideas to pr@ncra.org.
NCRA members who submit completed transcriptions through the National Court Reporters Foundation are eligible to earn 0.25 PDC credit for each transcription. For more information, contact NCRF Director Jill Parker Landsman at jlandsman@ncra.org or Foundation Manager Alex Vlahopoulos at avlahopoulos@ncra.org.
Did you know there is a VHP documentary in the making?
According to Kerry Ward, Senior Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., a documentary is currently in the works in celebration of the project’s 25th anniversary.
“The film will explore the history of the Project, the growth of the collection, and the many people who have helped make this work possible — from veterans and their families to volunteers, students, educators, and community members who have taken the time to listen and preserve these important stories,” Ward shared.
At the heart of the documentary is the simple but powerful idea that every veteran has a story worth saving. Over the past 25 years, thousands of individuals and organizations, including NCRA members and NCRF, have helped ensure that veterans’ experiences become part of the nation’s historical record and remain available for future generations.
“We were grateful for the opportunity to interview several veterans during NCRF Veterans Oral History Day in Bellevue, Wash.,” Ward said, and added, “Those conversations represent the meaningful work that happens when people come together to preserve veterans’ experiences, and we are excited to continue sharing the impact of these stories.”
The documentary will be available for viewing on the Library of Congress website in early 2027.
Here’s a look back at previous VHP events:
- Lunch with old friends leads to a special Veterans History Project
- Preserving heroes’ narratives: Inside the Veterans History Project event at the NCRA Conference
- How a professional connection led to a very special VHP experience
- NCRA/NCRF VHP in the news
- First-time VHP participant moved by story of WWII veteran
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