STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES W O R K S H O P S E R I E S and Alvin York: Tennessee’s Service in “The Great War” Presented by Dr. Michael E. Birdwell Saturday, January 24, 2015, 9:30 a. m. - 11 a. m. TSLA Auditorium

In 1914, European hostilities broke out between the Allied Powers (Great Britain, and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey) after the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. In 1917, President convinced Congress to declare war on Germany after a series of outrages against the . Although American troops began arriving in France in 1917, they did not participate in any major action until 1918. Over 100,000 Tennesseans volunteered or were drafted during the First World War, six of them winning the , including Alvin Cullom York (1887-1964), the most famous Tennessean to serve in “The Great War.”

Join Dr. Michael Birdwell, professor of history at Tennessee Tech University, for a look at TSLA’s historical materials pertinent to World War I research. Dr. Birdwell works in association with the Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation as the curator of the Alvin C. York papers housed in Pall Mall, Tennessee. He has appeared on television, in print and online as an authority on World War I and Alvin York. Dr. Birdwell received his B.S. and M.A. from Tennessee Tech and his Ph.D from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Those wishing to attend this free workshop must contact TSLA to make a reservation as the number of seats is limited. Parking is available in the front, on the side, and in back of the Library and Archives building. Patrons can register by telephone by calling (615) 741-2764, or by e-mail at: [email protected]. For more information contact: TSLA PUBLIC SERVICES 403 SEVENTH AVENUE NORTH Nashville, TN 37243 Phone: (615) 741-2764 Fax: (615) 253-6471 Email: [email protected]