Unidentified soldiers in transport train in France, c. 1918.*

When discussions began regarding mounting an exhibition to commemorate the First World War, the consensus was that there was not enough related material in LSU Libraries Special Collections to fill both gallery floors. The reality has proven to be just the opposite; holdings include more books, letters, photographs, diaries and scrapbooks than could be included in our current exhibition, "Through the Valley of Death: A Special Collections Perspective on the First World War," running from February 20 – June 2, 2017 in Hill Memorial Library.

These items represent a broad range of the types of historical documents held within LSU Libraries Special Collections related to The Great War: a wife enduring financial hardship pleads for her husband's return from the front; labor union representatives urge preferential employment of veterans; censorship hits home in a telegram; and hardworking young sailors gather and grin on a ship’s deck, uncertain of what their future holds.

Many more documents and publications related to the First World War await the intrepid researcher to pluck them from obscurity. Will that researcher be you?

*Overton Brooks Papers, Mss. 2492 LLMVC Range P, Scrapbook Overton Brooks (1897-1961) was born near Baton Rouge, La. He served in Europe during the First World War with the Sixth Field Artillery, First Division, Regular Army. Brooks received a law degree from Louisiana State University in 1923, was admitted to the bar the same year, and commenced practice in Shreveport, La. He served as United States Commissioner from 1925 to 1935. Brooks was representative for the 4th U.S. Congressional District of Louisiana from January 3, 1937, until his death on September 16, 1961. He was the first chairman of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, established in 1959. CATALOG RECORD

Letter from Lauren Post to his mother describing heavy drilling that caused some men to faint, August 20, 1917.

Lauren Chester Post Papers, Mss. 2854 LLMVC Range 7, Box 1, Folder 11a

Sailors, possibly of the U.S.S. Whipple, c. 1918.

Lauren C. Post Papers, Mss. 2854 LLMVC Range 7, Box 6a, Folder 250

Lauren Chester Post (1899-1976) was a native of Rayne, La., professor of geography at San Diego State University, and author of Cajun Sketches from the Prairies of Southwest Louisiana (1962) and Louisiana As It Is: A Geographical and Topographical Description of the State (1969).   Portions of his personal papers consist of letters pertaining to his service in the Navy (1917-1919) and work in the Mare Island, Calif., Naval Shipyard (1919-1920).

CATALOG RECORD

Excerpt of letter from Ernest Florance to Mrs. Norman Towne, August 7, 1917.

Ernest T. Florance Papers, Mss. 5110 LLMVC MISC:F

Ernest Tours Florance (1854-1918) was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi and was educated at Northwick College in London, and Lusher's Academy in New Orleans. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and practiced law in New Orleans. He was president of the Commercial Law League of America. Florance also served as director of public schools in New Orleans from 1892 to 1898. In this letter to Mrs. Norman Towne, he writes: “About a week ago a little occurrence took place in my office, that gave me a heart wrench [sic]. A good looking boy (about 21 years old) in khaki came to my desk and asked if I were a notary and would I witness his signature. I assented. He handed me the document, the assignment of a death benefit in some fraternal order, to his mother. I do not charge soldiers for such work - so I told him to bring the paper back to me when he returned so I could tear it up. He said ‘All right Sir - And we’re going to win, Sir, aren’t we?’ I said: ‘Of course we are, and you’re coming back with gold straps on your shoulders.’ He answered: ‘Yes Sir, we’re going to win; we’re going to win,’ - he stopped a moment -  then repeated - still more emphatically: ‘We’re going to win.’ He then looked for a moment into space – arose, straightened his shoulders and marched out, not saying another word. He must have seen that mother waiting for him when his eyes rested on nothing near. I will watch the lists as they come in from ‘Somewhere in France,’ to see if the Tangipahoa lad is mentioned.” CATALOG RECORD

Marching through Belgium, c. 1918.

Nita Sims Breazeale Family Papers, Mss. 2442 LLMVC Range 47, Box 8, Folder5

Hopkins Payne Breazeale enlisted into the army in 1917 when the U. S. entered World War I. He fought in the Battle of St. Mihiel, France, and served as Provost in Charge of Civil Affairs during the U.S. occupation of Germany. After the war, he and Nita settled in Baton Rouge, La., where he established a prestigious law firm. CATALOG RECORD   "Additional World War I Selections” on Flickr: AVAILABLE ONLINE “Through the Valley of Death: A Special Collections Perspective on the First World War” EXHIBIT INFORMATION A.C. Skiles Lumber Company Records Abram Feltus Barrow Family Papers Alfred Grima Papers American Expeditionary Forces General Orders Anatole J. Keller and Family Papers Anna E. Lewis Papers Anonymous household notebook Antal Vallas and Family Papers Brother Arsène Brouard Papers Brownell Land Company Records Buck-Ellis Family Papers Camp Beauregard, La. Poster Charles Louque Papers Charles L. Wright Papers Devall-Hyams family Papers and Photographs E. John and Thomas C.W. Ellis Family Papers Edward J. Gay III Congressional File Edwin Lewis Stephens Papers E.J. Cockfield and Family Papers Engineer field manual, parts I-VII Ernest Lee Jahncke Sr. Papers Ernest T. Florance Papers Ethel V. Monroe Papers Eugene M. Violette Collection Eva Scott and Family Papers Florence Bankston Varnado Papers Francis Augustus Woolfley Papers Freemasons, Feliciana Lodge #31 Records George T. Gibson Letters Grisham-Kellogg-Faust Family Papers Hennen-Jennings Family Papers Hoguet Alexandre Major oral history interview Irby C. Nichols and Family Papers J. Thomas Tanner Jr. Papers James B. Aswell Papers Jane C. Bright Scrapbook Janet Percy Dana Longcope Papers Jeanne Sully Smyth Scrapbook and Diary J.E. Snee, Sr. Photograph Collection John A. Lejeune Papers John Hamilton and Harriet Boyd Ellis Papers John M. Parker file John Taylor Laycock and Family Papers Joseph Plauche Papers Joseph William Monget Papers J.P. Knox and Family Papers Kent Furlow Photographica Collection Ladislas Lazaro Papers L’Athénée Louisianais Papers Laura Boddie Jones Bowers Papers Laura L. Porteous Collection Lauren Chester Post Papers Leonce P. Bordelon diaries Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Records Louisiana Postcard Collection Louisiana State Nurses Association Records Louisiana State University Office of the Chancellor Records Louisiana State University Photograph Collection Martin Morris Correspondence Michael D. Wynne Collection Montfort Hull Letters Moyse-Gottlieb-Sommer Family Papers Nita Sims Breazeale Family Papers Oscar René Courrege papers Overton Brooks Miscellany Overton Brooks Papers Robert Badon oral history interview Sabin J. Gianelloni, Sr., family papers Samuel Ross Varnado medal Samuel Varnado Papers Stille and Yarbrough, Ltd. account books Stirling Poupard Hall Letters Susan D. Tew Papers The Reveille Records Thomas D. Boyd, Jr. application Troy H. Middleton Papers and Middleton Room Memorabilia V.J. Gianelloni Papers William P. Kidd Papers William B. Hatcher Papers William Hughes Head and Family Papers World War I broadsides World War I generals’ portraits W.P.A. Collection. Historical Records Survey Uncensored raw war in pictures