World War I -- Life Histories/Section 001

New Title: 100 Years: Perspectives from the Great War

Overview

In honor of the centenary of World War I, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is hosting a yearlong discussion, from 2014-2015, on the legacy of the War both in the U.S. and across the world. This venture, aptly called the World War I Centenary Project, aims to encourage an ongoing dialogue about the War between the UNC faculty and students, as well as the wider community.

English 105i classes for the humanities have geared their curriculum towards understanding the war's profound impact, particularly on North Carolinians. Partnering with the Documenting the American South Project, students have published individuals' life histories during wartime. Classes have engaged in archival research with material from the Southern Historical Collection at UNC’s Louis Round Wilson Library.

Project

As part of the World War I Centenary Project, students in English 105i classes documented the lives of North Carolinians during the Great War. These personal histories were built upon archival research at Wilson Library— which offered letters, newspaper clippings, official documents, journals, and other media. Students also referenced scholarly and popular sources to strengthen to their research.

Subjects include doctors, soldiers, journalists, teachers, and playwrights— among others. Students focused on the lives of their individuals but also sought to provide a broader social, political, and cultural context of their time. The below links are dedicated to each individual.

Life Histories

References

Additional Resources

Learn NC: World War I

State Archives of North Carolina: World War I