Baseball, blood drive, Russia and more at the National WWI Museum and Memorial

Baseball, Blood Drive, Russia and more at the National WWI Museum and Memorial

KANSAS CITY, MO. – In honor of Black History Month, and with baseball season just around the corner, the National WWI Museum and Memorial will explore the wartime legacy of America’s favorite pastime in Home Run History: Baseball and War. On Thursday, Feb. 20, historian Phil Dixon will be in conversation with Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Baseball players during the Civil War and WWI charged off base onto battlefields. Others played at home to boost morale – but racism divided the sport. Find out how baseball mirrored the issues and hopes of the United States. Registration is free with RSVP. The program will be offered online and onsite.

This Valentine’s Day, honor love with a blood donation that could save a life. Blood was stored for future transfusions for the first time in World War I. On Fab. 14, the Museum and Memorial and the American Red Cross will partner for a dive in the Auditorium Lobby. Appointments are REQUESTED to donate at this blood drive; walk-ins will be accepted. Donors will receive one complimentary pass to the Museum and Memorial.

On Feb. 27, the Pershing Lecture Series highlights the Siberian Expeditionary Force. Major General William S. Graves led 8,000 American soldiers in Vladivostok as part of a multinational force to protect and recover American supplies sent to Russia to combat the Central Powers during the First World War. The Siberian Expedition of 1918-1920, assigned during the Russian Revolution, would ensue in military and diplomatic turmoil. Explore the origin of modern U.S.-Russia relations with Geoff Babb in this free program available onsite and online.

About the National WWI Museum and Memorial - The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war. The Museum and Memorial takes visitors of all ages on an epic journey through a transformative period and shares deeply personal stories of courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Designated by Congress as America’s official World War I Museum and Memorial and located in downtown Kansas City, Mo., the National WWI Museum and Memorial inspires thought, dialogue and learning to make the experiences of the Great War era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations. To learn more, visit theworldwar.org.