The City of New Rochelle’s Veterans Advisory Committee invites all veterans and their families to participate in the Library of Congress (LOC) Veterans History Project (VHP). Audio interviews will be conducted locally by volunteers. This joint effort was coordinated by Brett Morash, New Rochelle Veterans Advisory Committee Chair and Julie Konvisser, the City’s Director of Community Engagement. Interested veterans in being interviewed can sign up here.

“This is an important opportunity for our New Rochelle veterans and their families. It will preserve their personal memories and highlight their sacrifice and service. I encourage all of our veterans to participate,” said Morash.

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP) in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. VHP collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand remembrances of U.S. military veterans from World War I through the more recent conflicts. 

In addition to participating in local audio interviews, LOC collections can be made by veterans and their families in a variety of ways:

-Audio/video recording: Contribute a minimum of 30 minutes or longer unedited audio or video recording of an interview with a veteran AND/OR

-20 pages or more of original, unpublished memoirs, journals or diaries AND/OR 

-10 or more original photographs, letters or 2-dimensional art works

The VHP website, loc.gov/vets, contains a Biographical Information and Service History record for each veteran who contributes. This page includes the veteran’s name, military service details and donor/interviewer affiliation.