On July 4, 2015, The National WWII Museum will open a new special exhibit called Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II. With generous funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, the exhibition will feature artifacts, photographs, oral histories and associated educational programming to highlight some of the extraordinary achievements and challenges of African Americans during World War II, both overseas and on the Home Front.

Join The National WWII Museum as we pay tribute to these women and commemorate National Rosie the Riveter Day by hearing from local, modern-day trailblazers about their experiences in the workforce, with a historical overview given by Kim Guise, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Services.

On December 8, 1941, just one day after the Pearl Harbor attacks, the United States officially entered World War II—Louisiana, however, was already front and center in the country’s defense preparations.

This article examines how World War II marked an important moment in the political history of modern zoos.