The University of Michigan and the Great War

Using the University of Michigan campus as a base, this exhibit explores how local stories connect to the global events of the First World War. It highlights three themes—military experiences, homefront activities, and opposition to the war—and focuses on the wartime experiences of students, faculty, alumni, and the broader citizenry of Ann Arbor and the state of Michigan. The debates, activism, and mobilization that occurred on campus represented a microcosm of national attitudes that played out simultaneously across the United States. 

“The University of Michigan and the Great War” is part of Michigan in the World (MITW), a paid undergraduate internship program where students develop online public exhibitions about the history of the University of Michigan and its relationships with the wider world. MITW is coordinated by the U-M History Department in partnership with the Bentley Historical Library and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. 

Project Team

Bentley Michigan in the World Fellows: William Cowell, Chiara Kalogjera-Sackellares, Erin McGlashen, Helena Ratte, Christopher White

Faculty Coordinator: Melanie S. Tanielian

Graduate Student Supervisor: George Njung

Public Engagement Manager: Gregory Parker