Wyandotte County Historical Museum in Bonner Springs, Kan., will be the host of “World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda,” a presentation and discussion by Lorraine Madway, at 2 p.m. March 14. at Wyandotte County Historical Museum, 631 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, Kan.
Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the Wyandotte County Historical Museum at 913-573-5002 for more information. The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.
This program is part of the Wyandotte County Historical Museum’s commemoration of Local Poppies: Centennial of WWI exhibition.
When the United States entered World War I in the spring of 1917, the civilian population was aware of the high casualty rates from trench warfare and the resulting low morale. It was necessary to inspire and inform people in ways that were both heroic and practical. This presentation will highlight posters, pamphlets, and sheet music that encouraged Americans to participate in the war effort.
Lorraine Madway is the special collections curator and university archivist at Wichita State University Libraries. She has also taught courses on archives in the public history program at WSU and in the graduate library science program at Emporia State University.
“World War I posters aimed for the civilian American population to concentrate not only on familiar themes of supporting Liberty Bonds and providing famine relief for those suffering in Europe. What is less well known,” explained Madway, “is their emphasis on access to knowledge through public libraries as a vital attribute of democracy and civilization for English-speaking peoples in general and an important facet of American democracy in particular.”
“World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Humanities Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared human experience—our innovations, culture, heritage, and conflicts.
The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785-357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.
For more information about “World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda” contact the Wyandotte County Historical Museum at 913-573-5002 or visit www.wycomuseum.org or Facebook us at wycomuseum.
– From the Wyandotte County Museum