Featured Articles
A Post-Dispatch mailroom clerk becomes the first St. Louisan to die in World War I
David Hickey was 38 when he answered the patriotic drumbeat in April 1917 to fight in the Great War. He was assigned to a U.S. Army artillery battery in France at the village of Seicheprey, [...]
The American Plan to Win World War I: Incarcerate Promiscuous Women
The American Plan was a World War I era public health program designed to combat venereal disease in troops. Unfortunately, it was far more successful in targeting and persecuting innocent women. In 1918, as war [...]
Citizenship for conscientious objectors in the wake of World War I
Exploring Hurdles to Gain Citizenship In the wake of World War I, the U.S. Bureau of Naturalization inserted a new question into the application for prospective citizens: “If necessary, are you willing to take up [...]
Kimball World War I Memorial shows Black veterans’ fight for democracy
In 2023, the Kimball World War I Memorial in McDowell County is the only American memorial in the country kept in honor of black WWI veterans, the National Coal Heritage Area group reported. The three-story [...]
How WWI changed how and what Americans eat at mealtimes
"Food Patriotism" in World War I America When German immigrants came to America, they brought the traditional staples of the German dinner table with them. Beer, sausages, and sauerkraut became almost overnight sensations. Then came [...]
Ohio’s Black World War I Sailors: Forgotten U.S. Servicemen
The service and sacrifice of Black World War I sailors is often overlooked. Black History Month provides an excellent opportunity to discuss these forgotten servicemen, including those who came from Ohio. 6,750 Black sailors served [...]
WWI medals discovered after 100 years
Long ago, they stood at attention for a black-and-white panoramic photograph in Yorkville. Dressed in their military uniforms, they were awarded a medal. For some, however, the medal was never received. The Kendall County [...]
Kendall County Circuit Clerk seeks to return unclaimed historic World War I medals to veterans’ families
KENDALL COUNTY, IL -- Kendall County Clerk of the Circuit Court Matthew Prochaska, while digitizing court records from the turn of the 20th century, found a box of unclaimed World War I medals that were [...]
The Incredible True Story Of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, The ‘Mother Of Cryptology’ in WWI
American cryptologist Elizebeth Smith Friedman cracked codes during World War I, Prohibition, and World War II — but her accomplishments weren’t revealed until after her death. or decades, the United States had a secret weapon. [...]
