Two exciting events are coming this fall for area residents with an appreciation of the history of World War I and how it relates to Missouri.
The Friends of Jefferson Barracks will host a trip from St. Louis to Kansas City on Oct. 22 and 23 to visit the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum and the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
The Truman Museum tour will include a visit to the Heroes or Corpses: Captain Truman in World War I exhibit. The WWI Museum is hosting a touring exhibit, For Liberty: American Jewish Experience in WWI. Also, that day will feature a special Q&A session with Elsie Shemin-Roth of St. Louis and Joan Wells of Kansas City, daughters of Medal of Honor recipients William Shemin and John Lewis Barkley.
Despite his heroism during the war, William Shemin was denied consideration due to anti-Semitism. Elsie Shemin-Roth spent 13 years righting this wrong before the announcement was made on May 20, 2015, at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis that he would receive the long-delayed recognition.
The Kansas City tour will be led by Jefferson Barracks curator Mike Venso and leave from the Gateway or Kirkwood train stations. Registration deadline is Sept. 22. More information or an itinerary is available by calling 314-304-3508 or visiting AreWeThereYetDea.com. Click here to view a flyer for the event.
Then, on Nov. 3, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum will complete its extensive, $30 million renovation, transforming the 1938 building into a state-of-the-art museum honoring local military service members, veterans, and their families.
Under the leadership of the Missouri History Museum, a ceremony marking the re-opening of the museum will take place at 9 a.m. week of events are planned to mark the renovation. Bronze Star recipient and native St. Louisan Brig. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt will be the keynote speaker.
More information about the Museum reopening can be found at MOHistory.org/Memorial.