October 10, 2018
The Texas State Historical Association in partnership with Texas A&M University-Commerce invite you to…
Take a walk and experience history in the making.
On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., dignitaries and historians, faculty and students, and community members from Texas and beyond, will congregate in Commerce, Texas, to witness the unveiling of the state’s first Chinese-language historical marker. The event will involve live musical entertainment featuring members of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Orchestra playing an ensemble including period WWII music, participation by the Texas A&M University Ross Volunteers, and more.
This marker, placed at 1509 Monroe Street, commemorates the birthplace of Lieutenant-General Claire Lee Chennault, World War II aviator, war hero, and founder of the legendary Flying Tigers. An English-language marker was placed at the site in 1968; the new marker translates the original into Chinese.
Chennault made his reputation as a volunteer who fought against militaristic aggression. This marker, then, commemorates a hometown hero, but and also reminds visitors, residents, and the university community to explore and reflect upon global ties that connect East Texas to the wider world. The marker and the ceremony provide an excellent opportunity to encourage all of us to look for the stories of others from our own backyard whose personal accounts extend far beyond the region and the state’s borders.
The event is open to the public. The history department invites everyone who may want to experience a little history-in-the-making to attend the ceremony, thereby advancing the global connections of the university community and region.
