Ancestry.com, a leading company in the family history sector, has announced its plan to virtually commemorate Memorial Day and the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II this year. A Parade of Heroes, an engaging online event, will be held on Monday, May 25 at 11 AM EST (8 AM PST) and will be streamed on Ancestry’s Facebook page. Television personality Kathie Lee Gifford is set to host the event and Grammy Award-winning artist Tori Kelly will provide a special guest performance.
This online tribute, made possible through a collaboration between HISTORY, Wounded Warrior Project, The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, Heroes of the Second World War, and TAPS, seeks to honour our nation’s heroes. The Parade of Heroes promises to share poignant stories of courage and hope, revealed through interviews and special tributes.
“Preserving the memory of one of the defining events in world history, WWII, has never been more crucial. When we delve into our ancestors’ stories, we honour their service and their inspiring narratives empower us,” said Ancestry’s CEO and President Margo Georgiadis. This Memorial Day, the initiative taken by Ancestry will facilitate people in forging their personal connections to WWII and in recalling those who served and sacrificed.
The virtual parade will consist of a riveting 45-minute production, which will later be available on Ancestry.com. It will spotlight stories of remembrance, presented through a series of interviews with veterans and their families, with a special focus on WWII. The event’s lineup will include performances by The Lincoln Way Marching Band from New Lenox and a range of celebrity cameos. Rounding off will be an educational segment, brought to life by national veteran organizations and nonprofits.
Ancestry is collaborating with Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. (JWV) and Combined Arms for this initiative.
A post-event activity invites everyone to share a picture or video commemorating their Memorial Day, salute using the hashtag #RememberAtHome on Instagram. Participants are urged to post photos discovered using Ancestry’s military records to pay tribute to lost loved ones.
With the biggest collection of U.S. military records, Ancestry is helping people dig deeper into their family’s WWII history. In this endeavor, the company is granting open access to more than 550 million military records on Fold3, from May 21-25, and almost 500 million records from the National Archives and Records Administration, including all 36 million World War II young man’s draft cards, till June 1.
Ancestry, internationally renowned for family history and consumer genomics, aids individuals in personal discovery. It offers customers the ability to unearth their family history, get profound insights about their health, and wellness based on its expansive collection of 24 billion records and a growing DNA network of over 16 million people. For more than three decades, Ancestry has been a trusted platform for preserving and sharing vital family information.