adminFeb. 9, 2011
Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial and National World War I Museum could soon receive national status.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and other U.S. senators are sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would grant the Liberty Memorial the status of a national World War I museum and memorial.
The Liberty Memorial was dedicated in 1921 and its dedication ceremony was the only time all five of the allied commanders were together, according to local legend, said Laura Myron of Sen. McCaskill’s office.
“Built with private donations by the people of Kansas City, the Liberty Memorial has led the way in telling the stories of those who served in the Great War, further preserving the memory in the minds of generations of Americans,” McCaskill said. “I’m thrilled that after months of hard work we were able to come to a compromise that is befitting of our veterans and honors their work both in the heart of America and our nation’s capital.”
The “compromise” is crafted from two pieces of legislation – one focuses on the Washington, D.C., War Memorial and the other on the Liberty Memorial.
If approved, the bill will dedicate the Liberty Memorial as the “National World War I Museum and Memorial” and the D.C. Memorial as the “District of Columbia and National World War I Memorial.”
The bill also includes the formation of a 24-member commission to design and implement a proper nationwide commemoration of the WWI centennial. Kansas City will be the commission base and will be featured as the focal point in the development of the centennial activities.
-
