Tag veterans

Arlington National Cemetary on a fall day, with a blue sky and the leaves changing colors.

Veterans Day at the Library

brandondwightbannister Leave a comment
Arlington National Cemetary on a fall day, with a blue sky and the leaves changing colors.
Photo by SteenJepsen from Pixabay

by Brandon B.

Every November 11, our nation honors the brave men and women of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and National Guard who have sacrificed for the well-being of our country. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, recognizing the service of all who have worn the uniform—both in times of war and peace. From the annual Army vs. Navy football game and local parades to a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, America continues to express its deep gratitude to our armed forces.

HCLS is profoundly thankful for the courage and commitment of our veterans and active-duty military members, whose sacrifices help keep our world safe. Whether you are currently serving, a veteran, or simply interested in learning more about the military, your library is here to support you. HCLS offers a wide range of books, resources, and events designed to meet your research, educational, and entertainment needs.

In our Equity Resource Collection at the Central Branch, you can explore the powerful stories of historic African American service members, including the Buffalo Soldiers, the Six Triple Eight, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Looking to connect with others who have served? Keep an out for the upcoming Veterans Book Club, launching in February 2026 at HCLS Central Branch, for monthly Sunday gatherings and engaging discussions.

You can read inspiring biographies of distinguished leaders such as General Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf, and Senator John McCain, or enjoy military-themed films with family and friends, including Saving Private Ryan, Glory, The Hurt Locker, American Sniper, and Miracle at St. Anna.
This Veterans Day, we proudly salute the courage, sacrifice, and enduring service of all who have served our nation.

Lullaby Project: Veterans Songwriting Program
For veterans & service members. For more information about the schedule and location, and to register, visit bit.ly/Veterans-songs
Project runs November 14 – January 17
The Lullaby Project offers veterans, service members, and their families the opportunity to take part in a songwriting workshop with Grammy-winning songwriters. Participants have the option to either write a Lullaby for children or grandchildren, a song for a spouse or a special someone in your life or in honor of a fellow service member, or write a song to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary in 2026. No musical knowledge or experience needed.

In partnership with Baltimore Classical Guitar Society presents, which has created over 100 songs with parents, grandparents and veterans. In collaboration with Carnegie Hall, Weill Music Institute

Brandon is a Customer Service Specialist at HCLS Central Branch who loves reading, football, and taking nice long walks around his neighborhood.

Our next chapter starts soon when the blog moves to the newly redesigned hclibrary.org. All the same great reviews and news, plus more library information!

A painted illustration with a saluting soldier in silhouette against a sunset, with the suggestion of the American flag blending into the colors of the sky.

Veterans Creating Art

emilyhcls Leave a comment
A painted illustration with a saluting soldier in silhouette against a sunset, with the suggestion of the American flag blending into the colors of the sky.

Colors of Courage: A Guided Painting Class for Veterans (with ArtJamz)
For veterans. Register.
Looking for a unique way to express yourself and connect with fellow veterans? Consider this veteran-focused guided painting class that offers a chance to connect with other veterans in a supportive and nurturing environment. Enjoy the opportunity to socialize and bond with other veterans, fostering a sense of camaraderie and support.
Wed    Nov 8  6:30 – 8:30 pm   Elkridge

Romare Bearden: Artist, Activist, Veteran
by Emily B.

Artist Romare Bearden was born in North Carolina in 1911 and moved to Harlem a few years later as part of the Great Migration, which saw approximately 6 million African Americans leave the southern United States for industrialized areas with less hostility and prejudice. Bearden’s mother Bessye was a prominent civic activist, and their Harlem home hosted notable cultural figures like Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes. This intersection of activism and artistry would prove influential to Bearden and his life’s work, but not before a quick detour into America’s favorite pastime.

While attending college in Boston, Bearden became a baseball star. He pitched for his school’s team and the Boston Tigers, part of the all-black Negro Baseball League. He was offered a spot on Philadelphia Athletics, a Major League team, on the condition that he passed for white. Bearden rejected the offer and returned to New York, uncomfortable with hiding his identity. After graduating college, Bearden became a case worker for the New York Department of Social Services. He would continue in this line of work on and off to support his artistic passions, which he pursued most nights and weekends. He also spent a few years as a political cartoonist for the Baltimore Afro-American, a weekly newspaper (available at hclibrary.org > research).

During this time he joined the Harlem Artists Guild, a collective of Black artists that aimed to encourage young artists and foster an appreciation for art, while creating awareness of the issues faced by the community. Most of Bearden’s art during this period consisted of abstract paintings.
Between 1942 and 1945 Bearden was in Europe, serving in the all-Black 372nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army. Bearden returned to Europe in 1950, utilizing the GI Bill to study literature and philosophy and tour museums.

After returning from his studies Europe, painting felt stale to Bearden. He found inspiration in the Civil Rights Movement and mass media. He began creating collages, utilizing magazine clippings to create socially-conscious works of art. This artistic shift was well received, with his collages becoming his most iconic works. Prior to his death in 1988, Bearden created approximately 2,000 works of art across many mediums. While he is most remembered for his collages, his impact extends far beyond the art world.

Framed reproductions of his works “Carolina Blues” and “Jamming at the Savoy” are available to borrow from the Art Education Collection.

Emily is an Instructor & Research Specialist at the Central Branch. She enjoys puzzling, reading, listening to music, and re-watching old seasons of Survivor.

Shows an armed company with their gear walking across a sandy landscape.

Veterans Recommend Books

Rohini G. Leave a comment
Shows an armed company with their gear walking across a sandy landscape.

by Rohini G.

Veterans, both active and retired military, participated in a recent online book discussion series. During five monthly facilitated sessions, conversations centered on military experiences and a unique set of readings, which included classics, fiction, memoirs, poetry, short stories, articles, and essays. The readings related in some way to military experiences or offered a veteran’s perspective. A new session begins in 2023. The Veterans Book Group is coordinated statewide by Maryland Humanities and is supported in part by the Wawa Foundation.

“If I had to narrow it down to one, it would be The Forgotten 500 by Gregory A. Freeman. The book recounts the details of American airmen shot down in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, and the local Serbian farmers who risked their lives to give them refuge. I really enjoyed learning about a relatively lesser-known WWII operation, and I’m always fascinated by the lengths to which humans will go to help one another when faced with desperate circumstances. This book was really good.”  – Dave O.

—

“With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene B. Sledge is, perhaps, the finest individual memoir of the Pacific War. John Keegan, the noted British military historian, spoke highly of it. Ken Burns used it as a source for his documentary, The War.”
– Eugene O.

—

“In The Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat by Rick Atkinson was my favorite book of the list we had to read. I like all books that have to deal with soldiers and this was one of the best. This book was well written and contained many individual issues that affect soldiers.” – Ron B.

HCLS joins the wider community in remembering with gratitude the service of our veterans, including the HCLS employees who have served. We are thankful for their patriotism, their willingness to serve and sacrifice for their country in wartime and in peacetime, and their love for and loyalty to our country and its citizens.

Rohini G. is an Adult Curriculum Specialist with Howard County Library System who coordinates the Veterans Book Club.

Man in jeans and grey T-shirt leans up against a brick wall reading an open book.

Veterans Book Group: A Journey

Rohini G. Leave a comment
The mostly blue cover features a an illustration of people gathering at the Vietnam Veterans Wall, drawn in the primitive style.

by Rohini G.

Last year we embarked on a powerful journey of connection through reading and discussion among veterans in Howard County. This journey continues in 2021. Our facilitator, David Owens, USNA Class of ‘94, shares his thoughts in a candid interview.    

David, you are a former Naval officer and an entrepreneur with your own media production company. You are also the facilitator of a Veterans Book Group (VBG) at the library. Tell us more about all these different hats that you don so effortlessly.  

I do indeed juggle a lot, but I love it! I want to be someone who makes communities better, and thus volunteering (Veterans Reading Group, etc.) makes me feel more satisfied. I’m a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and spent six years active duty stationed at Naval Station San Diego. I was also a news reporter for 15 years after leaving the service. 

Running a small business has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done, and much of the success of the company centers on human connecting and teambuilding. I learned many of those skills in the military and try to bring those abilities to the reading group as well.  

The Veterans Book Group was a first for Howard County Library System and a first for you. What prompted you to take on this role? 

First of all, I love this reading group, and I hope it continues! I wanted to be involved in the group because I love to read, and I like listening to other people’s opinions on things. This has been the best of both worlds for me! We all read the same book, yet we sometimes have different perspectives, which helps us all grow. Additionally, it is awesome to meet new people and connect with them. 

What makes a Veterans Book Group different from other book groups? 

Just by the nature of the job, military members tend to have experience working in high intense environments with diverse groups of people. I believe those experiences facilitate deeper discussions in our group. I also believe there is increased sensitivity and empathy among the members because we understand some have had life-altering experiences during their service/lives. As for the readings, we are a relaxed group that gives members plenty of time to read all the books. 

Would you like to share any special memories or experiences from last year’s VBG? 

Last year we were honored to have author Madeline Mysko (Bringing Vincent Home) join us for a session. She was so gracious, and having her talk about how the book was really a reflection of her own experiences brought a realness factor to our discussion.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Covid-19. Our group initially met in person, then held our final few meetings virtually. Howard County Library and Maryland Humanities were great at adjusting on the fly. Being able to remain connected to people brought positive energy for me, and provided a bit of normal human interaction during such a difficult time. 

I understand that participants at VBG read novels, short stories, articles, and just about every format. What was your favorite story, book or excerpt from what you read last year? 

Again, I have to give a lot of kudos to Howard County Library and Maryland Humanities because they work hard to assist the facilitators in selecting a good cross-section of books. Bringing Vincent Home was my favorite. The characters in her story were so identifiable and really hit home for me. I honestly had to remind myself on several occasions that it was actually a novel.  

You are embarking on another journey with VBG in 2021. What are your plans for this year? How are you feeling about it? 

I am really excited about the diversity of subjects in this year’s books. We will explore issues with the VA (Dead Soldier by Carmelo Rodriguez), as well as a few eras that might not get read as much (Korean War and Civil War). We are also planning to invite authors to our discussions; in fact, Carmelo Rodriguez has expressed a desire to speak with us. I’m looking forward to the journey, and I know the group is going to have a lot of great discussions and connections! 

The Veterans Book Group 2021 starts on February 2. For more information and to register, click HERE.

A diverse group of men and women in uniform from the different armed services standing in a V formation, with the United States flag being held by the person at the front. Illustration.

Veterans Day and Vonnegut

ericlblair Leave a comment
Slaughterhouse-Five arches in a tombstone shape above the subtitle, Or the Children's Crusade, and the author's name.

By Eric L.

We celebrate Veterans Day today, November 11, and it’s not just an extra day off each year. As a young person, I didn’t realize the significance of the date and why it doesn’t float like similar holidays. Veterans Day was not explained to me in school; in fact, the significance of the First World War wasn’t very clear until I took a college-level class. However, I won’t blame my teachers; there is a high probability that I was not paying attention.

I have always liked history because it seems like a big story, and I love those. I still, fortuitously, fill the gaps of my historical knowledge through books, very often through fictional stories as a gateway to the actual events. So please read them, you can borrow them for free. 

Kurt Vonnegut is arguably one of my favorite writers for his indefatigable humanism and wit. Sadly, I’m a huge fan of what people call gallows humor. He served in combat for the U.S. Army during the Second World War. In short, he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, survived the fire-bombing of Dresden as a POW, and experienced horrifying things. His work Slaughterhouse Five, or The Children’s Crusade: a Duty-Dance with Death addresses this experience. The title refers to the former slaughterhouse where he and other POWS were held, and the fact that they were really children when they fought the war. Many of his works are about war and post-traumatic stress it causes. Strangely, Vonnegut was born on November 11, 1922, what would become Veterans Day.

In my opinion, the prefaces of his books, as well as his memoir A Man Without a Country (also in audio) are nearly as good as the novels. I find them hilarious. In the preface to Breakfast of Champions (available in ebook, eAudio, or this collection), he describes how Armistice Day marked the end of the First World War. The cease-fire was declared on the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Vonnegut poetically said,  

It was during that minute in nineteen hundred and eighteen, that millions upon millions of human beings stopped butchering one another. I have talked to old men who were on battlefields during that minute. They have told me
in one way or another that the sudden silence was the Voice of God. So we
still have among us some men who can remember when God spoke
clearly to mankind (504-5, Novels and Stories 1962-1973).

I can only imagine that, to a battlefield veteran, the silence of a cease-fire must indeed have sounded like providence. Vonnegut said that Armistice Day was “sacred,” I assume because it meant an end to fighting in the War to End All Wars. I’m fairly confident he supported veterans of all types, but I too hope the idea of a cease-fire is still “sacred.”  

I very much appreciate the veterans of the military. I admire their courage, and I especially admire my late Grandmother who served as a combat nurse during the Second World War. 

Check out HCLS’s list of titles to remember and celebrate our nation’s military heroes this Veterans Day.

Eric is a DIY Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Elkridge Branch. He enjoys reading, films, music, doing nearly anything outside, and people.