The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission is preparing for a major national event on April 6th, 2017, to mark the 100th anniversary of America's entry into the war. The event will take place at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Monique Brouillet Seefried, Ph.D., is a Commissioner on the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. Seefried has been a regular lecturer on World War I, its causes and its consequences. In an interview she talks with us about the event, the significance of the Centennial of WWI, and why the decision by the U.S. to enter the war is so important for the nation to commemorate 100 years later. Click here to read the entire interview.

Historian, author, and long time WW1CC web site contributor Robert Laplander has been very busy. He just released the third edition of his landmark book "FInding The Lost Battalion"; he is working on a new book about that unit's Commander, Charles Whittlesey; and he has been involved with the highly-anticipated PBS/American Experience series THE GREAT WAR. In addition to all that, Robert has been doing deep research with his "Doughboy MIA" section of the WW1 Centennial Commission web site, working to account for the World War I casualties who are still listed as 'Missing'. Click here to get a full update on all Robert's activities, and learn why he is dedicating so much effort to these WWI projects.

The WW1CC U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register is a living document of exhibits, commemorations, and events happening around the entire country. It is designed to help people find local things to see & participate in during the centennial period, part of teh Commission's role as a national clearing house for centennial activities. If your organization is planning an event (or many events) to commemorate the Centennial of WWI, put them on the Commission calendar--click here to learn how.

The image is of a WWI Military Recruitment Poster next to a 2008 Vogue Controversial Cover with Lebron James and Gisele Bundche.

To prove loyalty to the country and gain respect, blacks volunteered in droves to join the war and fight for their country side by side with whites.

Read this fascinating article by actor/writer Darryl Dillard as he explores the reality of the times and the implications for today in this week's feature article in the WWrite blog.

New York City has untold numbers of monuments and memorials spread out across its five boroughs, from the large Grant's Tomb to the modest Balto statue. There is one public park that has the highest concentration of World War I memorials in the city: Governors Island. A military base for two hundred years, the island roads are named for soldiers killed in the Great War and there are more than twenty bronze tablets dotting its 172 acres. For the centennial of the war, this project is to restore and replace three of these tablets: two for soldiers killed in hand-to-hand combat, and one for General John J. Pershing.

Read about this great 100C/100M project being spearheaded by Kevin Fitzpatrick

Basically, a partner organization can make a $64.99 donation and get a poppy seed kit, containing 60 poppy seed packets.

Then, the partner organization can turn around, and distribute the poppy seed packets for $2 a piece or more -- and the partner organization can keep that.

In this way, we raise money for the National World War I Memorial in Pershing Park, and we help our partner organizations to raise money for their own agenda.

Order the kit in the Official WW1 Centennial Merchandise Shop

Learn about the program at ww1cc.org/poppy