Research Guides: The YMCA and World War I: Resources

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The YMCA played a key role supporting US armed forces and providing services to prisoners of war during the First World War. Explore the resources documenting its activities.

Books

A selected list of books on YMCA and WWI (focusing primarily on the American YMCA movement's role) is below. For more information, search the University of Minnesota Library's online catalog or contact the Kautz Family YMCA Archives.

Educational service bulletin by National War Work Council, Y.M.C.A. of the United States; United Y.M.C.A. Schools, Educational Council
Two Colored Women with the American Expeditionary Forces by Addie W. Hunton and Katherine M. Johnson
"That Damn Y" A Record of Overseas Service by Mayo, Katherine
Serving the U.S. Armed Forces, 1861-1986: The Story of the YMCA's Ministry to Military Personnel for 125 Years by Lancaster, Richard C.
Summary of World War Work of the American YMCA : With the Soldiers and Sailors of America at Home, on the Sea, and Overseas ; with the Men of the Allied Armies and with the Prisoners of War in All Parts of the World by National War Work Council, Y.M.C.A. of the United States
The Red Triangle Handbook : Issued for the Personal Information of Workers in the Huts and Other Institutes of the Association by Red Triangle Press
Pursuit of an Unparalleled Opportunity : The American Y.M.C.A. and Prisoner-of-War Diplomacy among the Central Power Nations during World War 1, 1914-1923 by Steuer, Kenneth Andrew.
Service with Fighting Men ; an Account of the Work of the American Young Men's Christian Associations in the World War by Taft, William H., and Frederick M. Harris
With the Y.M.C.A. in France ; Or, Souvenirs of a Secretary by Warren, Harold C

Other Publications

Trench and Camp Newspaper The Kautz Family YMCA Archives holds thirty different editions of Trench and Camp, a newspaper published by the YMCA's National War Work Council for various U.S. Army camps during World War I.The full text contents of the Camp Upton (Long Island, NY) and Camp Cody (Deming, NM) editions have been digitized and are freely available online »See the finding aid for more information on and access to these records

Other Media

For more information on the items below, contact the Kautz Family YMCA Archives.

Audio Tape: Berlin, Irving--"You Can Always Find a Little Sunshine in the YMCA", European War 1914-1918
Artifacts: The YMCA Archives Memorabilia Collection includes dozens of World War I-related items, including uniforms, pins, patches, medals, flags, and other items. »See the finding aid for more information on these records

YMCA World War I Service Punch Cards
A dataset of 27,364 images of YMCA WWI service punchcards containing information on individuals who served with the American YMCA during WWI.

Last Updated: May 9, 2023 11:26 AM