The Legion played the leading role in drafting and passing the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the "G.I. Bill". In addition to organizing commemorative events, members assist at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics. It is active in issue-oriented U.S. politics. Its primary political activity is lobbying on behalf of interests of veterans and service members, including support for benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Health Administration.[3] It has also historically promoted Americanism, individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; peace and goodwill.[4]
Historyedit
The American Legion was established on March 15, 1919, in Paris, France, by delegates to a caucus meeting from units of the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.), which adopted a tentative constitution. The action of the Paris Caucus was confirmed and endorsed by a similar meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri, from May 8 to 10, 1919, when the Legion was formally recognized by the troops who served in the United States. The Paris Caucus appointed an Executive Committee of seventeen officers and men to represent the troops in France in the conduct of the Legion. The St. Louis caucus appointed a similar Committee of Seventeen. These two national executive committees amalgamated and were the initial governing body of the Legion. The temporary headquarters was located in New York.[5]
List of founding membersedit
The men who initiated the formation of the Legion:[6]
The national headquarters, informally known as American Legion headquarters, is located on the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza at 700 North Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the headquarters for the National Commander of The American Legion and also houses the archives, library, Membership, Internal Affairs, Public Relations, and The American Legion magazine's editorial offices. The national headquarters has expanded multiple times since its establishment.[7]
Emblemedit
The World War I Victory Button on a narrow circular band of blue enamel, containing the words "American Legion" in gold letters, forms the central element of the American Legion Emblem.[8] The Legion emblem or "button" was officially adopted by the National Executive Committee of The American Legion on July 9, 1919.[9]
Eligibilityedit
Membership in The American Legion was originally restricted to soldiers, sailors, and marines who served honorably between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918.[10] Eligibility has since been expanded to include personnel who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or armed forces associated with the U.S.,[11] between December 7, 1941, through a date of cessation of hostilities as determined by the federal government, and was an American citizen when they entered that service or continues to serve honorably.[12]U.S. Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, are also eligible.[13] Honorary, associate, social, or guest memberships in the Legion are not permitted. Members must be eligible through the nature and timing of their military service.[14]
The following is a list of eligibility dates the American Legion uses to determine membership eligibility.[11][12]
The official publication, originally known as The American Legion Weekly, launched on July 4, 1919.[15] In 1926, the Legion Weekly reduced the frequency of publication and was renamed The American Legion Monthly.[16] In 1936, the publication's name and volume numbering system changed again, this time to The American Legion.[17]
The American Legion Digital Archive online offers scans of "American Legion magazine, national meeting digests, newsletters, press releases, and other publications published by the national organization."[18]
Notable membersedit
Notable members of The American Legion have included:
^"American Legion Day". The American Legion Magazine. Indianapolis, Indiana. September 2016. p. 8. ISSN 0886-1234.
^Burtin, Olivier (2020). "Veterans as a Social Movement: The American Legion, the First Hoover Commission, and the Making of the American Welfare State". Social Science History. 44 (2): 329–354. doi:10.1017/ssh.2020.5. ISSN 0145-5532. S2CID 218778378.
^American Legion: "Office Locations, accessed December 30, 2010
^"The Insignia of the American Legion". The American Legion Weekly. Vol. 1, no. 5. New York: The Legion Publishing Corporation. August 1, 1919. pp. 1, 24. ISSN 0886-1234 – via Internet Archive.
^"American Legion Digital Archive". archive.legion.org. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
^ abThe American Legion Ninth Annual Convention: Official Program and Guide Book. Indianapolis, Ind.: The American Legion. 1927. p. 115 – via Internet Archive.
General sourcesedit
American Legion 40th National Convention: official program [1958]. American Legion. 1958 – via Internet Archive.
Ceplair, Larry (2011). Anti-communism in Twentieth-century America: A Critical History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1440800474. OCLC 712115063.
Heale, M.J. (1990). American Anticommunism: Combating the Enemy Within, 1830–1970. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0801840500. OCLC 21483404.
Rumer, Thomas A. (1990). The American Legion: An Official History, 1919–1989. New York: M. Evans & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0871316226. OCLC 22207881.
Wheat, George Seay (1919). The Story of The American Legion. The Birth of the Legion. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. LCCN 19012694. OL 7238700M – via Internet Archive. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Further readingedit
Littlewood, Thomas B. (2004). Soldiers Back Home: The American Legion in Illinois, 1919–1939. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 080932587X. OCLC 54461886.
McFarland, Keith D. & Roll, David L. (2005). Louis Johnson and the Arming of America: The Roosevelt and Truman Years. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. pp. 24–26. ISBN 978-0253346261. OCLC 1023102538. OL 22709936M.
National Executive Committee of The American Legion (October 17, 2019). "Resolution No. 10: 100th Anniversary Remembrance Of Our Comrades in the 1919 Centralia Tragedy" (PDF). The American Legion Digital Archive. Indianapolis, Indiana: The American Legion. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
Spencer, Dewey, ed. (1979). History of The American Legion, Department of Arkansas, 1919–1979. Little Rock.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to American Legion.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921): "American Legion"
Washington American Legion Records, 1919–1920. 4 microfilm reels. At the Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Stephen Fowler Chadwick Papers, 1917–1974. 21.1 cubic feet. At the Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.