University collaboration with Callsign Brewing for an update on the Valor Medals evaluation initiative at Park University
Valor Medals Review Project Honours Overlooked World War I Heroes
The Valor Medals Review Project, an ongoing research initiative at the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, Park University, is working tirelessly to identify minority veterans of World War I who may have been unjustly denied high-level valor awards due to race or religion. As of August 2025, the project has documented and reviewed over 214 cases, with a commitment to ensure these deserving veterans receive proper recognition for their service and bravery.
The project's objective is to rectify historical omissions in military honours by thoroughly researching service records and valor citations. Researchers at the centre examine archival materials and collaborate to confirm eligibility for medals that were historically denied or neglected due to race or ethnicity. This initiative reflects broader efforts to address historical inequities in military awards and to honour the contributions of minority soldiers who displayed exceptional valor during the Great War.
As of the current research, 214 servicemembers - 105 Jewish Americans, 73 African Americans, 24 Native Americans, 11 Hispanic Americans, and one Asian American - have qualified for review. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 25, at Callsign Brewing, 1340 Burlington St. in North Kansas City, Mo.
The Valor Medals Review Project was initially established in June 2018 by a resolution of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. It was later included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020. In December 2023, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives approved an extension of the Robb Centre's research efforts through December 31, 2028, via the 2024 NDAA. This extension was signed into legislation by President Joe Biden.
The research includes servicemembers who may have been worthy of a Medal of Honor but were downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross/Navy Cross and/or a French Croix de Guerre with Palm and/or have an archived Medal of Honor recommendation. Tim Westcott, Ph.D., director of the Robb Centre, and professor of history and associate archivist at Park University, will present at the event. Lorraine Moore, executive director of the Riverside (Mo.) Area Chamber of Commerce and former development director at Park University, will moderate the discussion.
Student researchers involved in the project include Damon Grosvenor, a senior history major, and Martin Roberson, a junior secondary education/social science major. The Valor Medals Review Project's website can be found at gsr.our website.
The steady progress indicated by the number of reviewed cases shows a committed effort to bring these veterans' stories and achievements into the historical record with proper accolades. The Valor Medals Review Project is being funded to continue its research efforts until December 31, 2028. The event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program from 7 to 8 p.m.
The Valor Medals Review Project, an ongoing research initiative focused on education-and-self-development, seeks to rectify historical omissions in military honours and provide proper recognition to deserving servicemembers. The research involves examining service records of diverse individuals who may have been worthy of high-level valor awards but were historically denied or neglected due to race or ethnicity.
