During World War I, as in modern conflicts, action on the battlefield affected more than just the soldiers. It had a major impact on the folks back home.
That phenomenon will be examined Thursday, Sept. 20 at the South Carolina State Museum as Curator of History Fritz Hamer will present a program on the effects that World War I had on South Carolina. The talk is held in conjunction with the Museum's exhibit Seeds of Change: South Carolina and the Great War 1917-1918.
“World War I has long been called ‘the war to end all wars,’ but today most people know very little about it,” said Hamer. “This past April marked the 90th anniversary of the United States’ entry into what was then called 'the Great War.'"
Hamer said the 7 p.m. presentation will examine how the war "had an immediate impact on the state, nation and world and sowed the seeds of social, political and economic influences that still resonate today.”
The program will focus on such areas as the construction of military installations in communities (such as Camp Jackson in Columbia and Camp Sevier in Greenville), changing roles for women and blacks, the flu pandemic and the war's aftermath.
For more information contact Hamer at (803) 898-4942 or frtiz.hamer@museum.state.sc.us
Seeds of Change: South Carolina and the Great War 1917-1918 can been seen at the State Museum through June 2, 2008.
Fritz Hamer, Chief Curator of History at the South Carolina State Museum, will present a program Thursday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. on the effects of World War I on the South Carolina home front. The program is presented as part of the Museum's current exhibit Seeds of Change: South Carolina and the Great War 1917-1918.