Army Museum Recognizes Women's History Month With Events, Exhibits

FORT BELVOIR, VA — For Women's History Month in March, the National Museum of the United States Army is sharing stories of women's service.

This will be the museum's first commemoration of Women’s History Month with special events and exhibits for the public. Special events will examine the little-known role of women in the American Revolution, the "Angel on the Battlefield" Clara Barton during the Civil War, and the "Hello Girls" of World War I.

"Compelled to Face Danger: Clara Barton and the Civil War" with Dr. John Maass will be held March 1, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. (virtual) and March 8 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. (in person and virtual). "Our Girls Over There: The Hello Girls of World War I" will be held virtually from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on March 9, 16 and 23. A book talk on "Liberty is Sweet: The Hidden History of The American Revolution" by Woody Holton will be held virtually on March 17 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Stories of women's service in the Army are also be reflected throughout the museum. One local woman in the museum's galleries is 2nd Lt. Emily Perez, a 2001 graduate of Maryland’s Oxon Hill High School who was the first African American female Army officer to be killed in combat. The museum displays Perez’s desert warfare jacket, cap and dog tags to share her story of serving in the Medical Service Corps and the attack in Iraq that killed her.

Another example of women's stories involves Cordelia Dupuis, who among other bilingual women, operated the Army’s telephone switchboards during World War I. The museum also highlights Col. Mary Louise Rasmuson, who joined the Army during World War II and was appointed commandant of the Women’s Army Corps by Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy. A third example is Pfc. Sarah Keys, a Black soldier who boarded a bus wearing a U.S. Army uniform in 1952 and was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white man.

The National Museum of the United States Army opened in November 2020 in a publicly accessible area of Fort Belvoir at 1775 Liberty Drive. Museum events are free to attend, but registration is required. Free timed tickets are required to visit the museum and can be reserved at www.thenmusa.org/visit/#get-tickets.