Partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, the Rockbridge Regional Library System, and local veterans’ organizations: RHS is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of The Vietnam War with a statewide traveling exhibition, Virginia & The Vietnam War (through Dec. 14); a community roundtable and open microphone to share personal witness from the warfront and home front alike (Dec. 7); a film screening of the 1968 episode of Ken Burns’ documentary series, The Vietnam War (Dec. 17).
In January, a meeting of RHS’ Revolutionary Books, 1776-2026, will counterpoint Vietnam infantryman Tim O’Brien’s prizewinning memoir, The Things They Carried, with Beyond Vietnam, the 1967 speech by peace activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan. 13, 6 PM, Lexington Library).
The following night (Jan. 14, 6 PM, Lexington Library), RHS’ companion film series Revolutionary Films, 1776-2026 continues with selected scenes and directors’ interviews with Vietnam-themed featured films such as We Were Soldiers Once, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, and Heaven & Earth. For more about both the book and film series, click HERE.
Click HERE for links to the online readings, and film trailers. Click HERE to read the News-Gazette Feature describing our commemorative series about the Vietnam War, and associated local histories.