When the United States entered World War I, The American Red Cross stepped-in providing support with programs for the United States military. From comfort items to canteens, one of them that still resonates today, involves sending holiday cheer to the troops. Join Susan Robbins Watson, Red Cross Archivist as she discusses Red Cross work with the War Department and the postal service to send Christmas packages to U.S. troops during World War I. Susan Watson is the archivist and manager for historical programs and collections with the American Red Cross. She administers public programming, responds to historical inquiries, oversees the care and conservation of the archival and artifact collections, and develops exhibits—the most recent entitled Answering the Call: The American Red Cross in World War I. Susan has a MA in Public History and a BS in Clothing and Textiles. Her post-graduate career includes employment with the NASA history office, the Smithsonian Institution, the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources and her current position with the American Red Cross. Image courtesy of National Archives. |