In November and December, Dr Romain Fathi spent a few weeks in the USA at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at their College Park site to conduct research for the project.
Romain gleefully dived into the American Red Cross’s records pertaining to the League of Red Cross Societies that were deposited at NARA by the American Red Cross some years ago.
Such records include general documentation and reports on the League’s work that were communicated to national Red Cross societies but also communications between ARC leaders who were involved in the development of the League, chief among them Henry Pomeroy Davison.
The Davison records are fascinating and show how much support Davison received from President Wilson himself to set up what would later become the League of Red Cross Societies.
The ‘end’ of the First World War and its immediate aftermath is a time period that fascinates Dr Fathi because it’s a moment of great effervescence to redesign the world order and set up new organisations such as the League.
This was not Romain’s first time at NARA and he certainly enjoyed returning to Washington and benefiting from the staff’s dedication in helping him in his quest to find League’s records.
This field trip will assist Romain in delivering several research articles and outputs in 2023, 2024 and beyond concerning the League’s early activities, such as its involvement in the global fight against venereal diseases (VD). Romain will start by delivering a paper on the League and VD at our symposium in June next year.