In the Footsteps of Sergeant York | Brown Bag Lecture with Dr. Michael Birdwell

@ East Tennessee History Center
Where: 
East Tennessee History Center Bilo Nelson Auditorium
When: 
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - 7:00am to Thursday, June 21, 2018 - 7:45am

It was October 1918 when Sergeant Alvin C. York gained national acclaim for his actions in battle in the Argonne Forest of France, single-handedly killing 25 German soldiers and taking 132 prisoner. Over time, the exact site of the battle became lost to history. Between 2006-2008, a national team of historians, archeologists, and geographers travelled to France to rediscover and document where the epic battle took place uncovering more than 10,000 World War I era artifacts. In a Brown Bag Lecture on Wednesday, June 20, Dr. Michael Birdwell will recount the team’s amazing journey of research and discovery to locate the actual battle site.

Dr. Michael Birdwell is a professor of history at Tennessee Tech University and has studied the life of World War I hero Sgt. Alvin C. York for more than a quarter of a century, working directly with York’s descendants for most of that time. Birdwell is the curator of the York Papers in York’s hometown of Pall Mall. Professor Birdwell has also conducted extensive research on Warner Bros. Entertainment Film history and media studies, with an emphasis on both Tennessee film and film influenced by World War I and II.

The lecture is presented in conjunction with the feature exhibition “In the Footsteps of Sergeant York” on display at the Museum of East Tennessee History through July 8.

The lecture is sponsored by the Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory and is free and open to the public and will begin at noon at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville. Guests are invited to bring a “Brown Bag” lunch and enjoy the lecture. Soft drinks will be available.

Presenting Sponsor: