Park University to Conduct Valor Medals Examination Program
In a significant move, Park University has taken the lead in a congressionally-led review of minority World War I veterans who may have been denied the Medal of Honor due to their race. The Valor Medals Review Task Force, formed in August 2018, is spearheading this initiative, with Park University's George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at the forefront.
Bridget Locke, director of strategic communications at Park University, is also a member of the Valor Medals Review Task Force. Timothy Westcott, Ph.D., director of the Robb Centre and associate professor of history at Park University, is another key player in this endeavour, serving as co-chair of the discussion.
The review focuses on veterans who have received a Distinguished Service Cross, been recommended for a Medal of Honor, or the French Croix de Guerre with palm. Native Americans are included in this review as their World War I service predates the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.
On April 10, 2021, Park University was instrumental in introducing bipartisan bills (H.R.2249) in the U.S. House of Representatives for a systematic review of minority World War I veterans. Similar bills (S.1218) were introduced in the U.S. Senate on April 11, 2021. If passed and signed into law, these bills will mandate the Department of Defense to conduct a comprehensive review of minority veterans who served in World War I and may have been denied the Medal of Honor due to race. The bills also waive the statute of limitations associated with any cases identified by the review, authorizing the award of a Medal of Honor to any individuals identified by the DOD in the study.
The "From Kansas City to Washington, D.C.: World War I Valor Medals Review" program, hosted by Park University on June 19, 2019, at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo, provided an update on this three-year journey. The interactive program included a discussion about the effort, some of the stories uncovered, and the intense research work that lies ahead, which will take five to seven years to complete.
The program was presented in partnership with the National Archives at Kansas City and the National World War I Museum and Memorial. More information about Park University's role in this review can be found at our website news/valor-medals-review/. Admission to the event was free and open to the public, but attendees were required to RSVP at my.theworldwar.org/4234.
This initiative was inspired by a Park University lecture in February 2016. The Valor Medals Review Task Force was formed in conjunction with the Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars on behalf of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission.
While the current status of the congressional review is not publicly available, further inquiry into official congressional records, Park University communications, or the Valor Medals Review Task Force announcements might be necessary for the latest information.
Education and self-development are deeply intertwined with the work of Park University, as demonstrated by their leadership role in the Valor Medals Review Task Force, particularly through the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War. Moreover, this initiative to review minority World War I veterans and potentially award them the Medal of Honor is a testament to the university's commitment to justice, history, and diversity.
