The display examines the war’s long-term impact on Virginia’s people, politics and culture through artifact displays, photographs, historical documents and clips of oral histories.
VMHC will also share full-length versions of these powerful firsthand oral history accounts of those who experienced the war on the Museum’s website and YouTube channel.
More than 230,000 Virginians fought in Vietnam. Of those service members, 1,490 were killed in the conflict. In the years following the war, the public remained divided over America’s participation and were reluctant to ask questions of veterans, while service members resisted volunteering information and much of the government’s war policy remained classified.
Today, Virginia is home to approximately 200,000 Vietnam-era veterans and 60,000 Vietnamese Americans.
“It has been nearly five decades since the Vietnam War ended, and now is the time to ask new questions about Virginia and the conflict,” said Jamie Bosket, the president and CEO of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. “‘Virginia & the Vietnam War’ will shed light on Virginia’s connections to the Vietnam War and highlight the resilience, sacrifice and bravery of a wide variety of individuals, families and communities who experienced the war firsthand.”
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s exhibition aims to restore Virginians’ connection with this pivotal moment in history while honoring those impacted by the war long after it ended with a trio of ways to interact.
In addition to the in-gallery display and online oral histories, a traveling version of “Virginia & the Vietnam War” will make stops in several cities throughout Virginia, including Virginia Beach and Fairfax.
For more information, visit VirginiaHistory.org/VAVietnam.
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Chris Graham
