ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project (WVHP), established at the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) in 1998, documents the contributions
of women in the military and related service organizations since World War I. The
collection offers a wide range of source material, including photographs, letters,
diaries, scrapbooks, oral histories, military patches and insignia, uniforms, and
posters, as well as published works. Through active acquisition and educational
outreach the project continues to expand its research collection and to explore
the cultural, social, and military changes in American society that were fueled
by the gender integration of the armed forces.
The WVHP primarily focuses on the twentieth century, with materials pertaining to
World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, the Gulf Wars, and the War on Terror. The
collection chiefly documents women veterans, but it also chronicles the contributions
of workers in related service organizations such as the Red Cross and special services
and civilians in service. It contains more than 525 individual collections which
includes 325 oral histories.
Mission Statement
The Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project (WVHP) collects and preserves unique and rare historical materials documenting the female experience in the United States military and American Red Cross. The WVHP promotes the educational and research use of these materials by members of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the broader scholarly community, and the public.
History of the Project
Although World War II was the first time that women served in the Armed Forces in
large numbers, there were some women who served in World War I. Dr. Anna Maria Gove,
college physician and professor of hygiene at the State Normal and Industrial School
(now UNCG) from 1893-1937, served in France in 1917-1918. Her collection includes
maps, newspapers and mementos of her service in the Red Cross, as well as photographs
taken in France during the war. Her WWI uniforms are included in the University
Archives Textile Collection. The idea for beginning the Women Veterans Historical
Collection grew out of talks with Woman's College (now UNCG) alumnae of the Class
of 1950. The women veterans of World War II had a great impact on their classmates
at the Woman's College, as well as on their military organizations, their families
and friends.
In 1992, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of
the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) several veterans
sent uniforms and other memorabilia to the Alumni Association. Those items, which
were used in an exhibit, were transferred to the University Archives in 1997, and
form the nucleus of the Women Veterans Historical Collection. Since that time, items
have been donated from other WAVES and United States Navy veterans; WAACs (Women's
Army Auxiliary Corps), WACs (Women's Army Corps) and United States Army veterans;
SPARS (Coast Guard Women's Reserve-from the motto “Semper Paratus”-Always
Ready); WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), Women's Air Force and Army Air Force
veterans; Women Marines; Army Nurses, Navy Nurses, and Army Dietitians and Physical
Therapists; members of the American Red Cross; and even civilians in service. Additional
items have been purchased by University Archives.
About the Digital Project
In 2002, UNCG recieved an NC ECHO Digitization Grant to make signficant portions
of the WVHP available online. This grant was supported with federal LSTA funds made
possible through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and administered
by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural
Resources. In 2006, the University Libraries at UNCG undertook an effort to revamp
the site, adding search and browse functionality, contributing additional content,
and imposing further technical and descriptive standards.
To learn more about our digital imaging specifications, transcription process and
manual, digital audio archiving procedures, or metadata application, please contact us. UNCG adheres to best practices as specified in the NC ECHO Guidelines for Digitization.
