The U.S. Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

The VHP’s mission is to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and gain a deeper understanding of the realities of war.

Chief Judge Daniel B. Shanes announced that Lake County’s 19th Judicial Circuit, various partners of the Lake County legal community, and Lake County will once again participate in the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. This year’s project will take place at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Registration is now open and will run through Oct. 28. Early registration is encouraged as there is a limited number of spaces available.

The event kicks off with check-in, followed by breakfast and a brief program. The registered veterans are then invited to sit together for a group photograph to commemorate their participation. After the picture, they will then be escorted to their assigned rooms to give their oral histories with the assistance of volunteer attorney interviewers. Each interview is recorded by a volunteer court reporter, who then transcribes and archives it at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

This program, held in the courthouse since 2012, is a moving and inspirational experience for all who attend.

For more information, and the forms that must be returned by Oct. 28, visit https://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/1923/Veterans-History-Project.