From the January-February 2009 issue of e-Momentum
Joseph and Linda Poras of Framingham, Massachusetts made a fascinating historical gift to the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. The Poras Collection of Vietnam War Memorabilia comprises a wide range of materials from the Vietnam War era, including American and Vietnamese propaganda, posters from the pro-war and anti-war movements and artifacts from American soldiers who served in the war.
The collection, which has been valued at more than $40,000, includes posters, photographs, pamphlets, comic books, propaganda money, postcards, correspondence, metals, flags, t-shirts, Zippo lighters used by servicemen, political cartoons, movies, maps, books and other items collected from countries around the world. Most of the materials date between 1965 and 1975.
Joseph Poras is a dentist with a strong interest in history. He came of age during the protest era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972 in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Poras believes the juxtaposition of protesting and protecting gave him a unique insight into the conflict of the times.
When Poras and his wife visited Hanoi in the late 1990s, they became intrigued with the artistic and historical value of propaganda posters, and began their collection. On subsequent visits to Europe, Russia, Hong Kong and Cuba, they collected Vietnam era posters and formed the idea of exhibiting their collection.
“This collection is a unique window into the mind-set of the country during the Vietnam War era, bringing together the art, culture, history and human rights issues—all of which still resonate loudly in our world today,” says Poras.
The William Benton Museum of Art mounted an exhibition of the complete collection in 2004, and it proved popular with the students and faculty. When the Dodd Center expressed an interest in adding the exhibition to its archives, Poras agreed to make the collection available to researchers, students and faculty.
Valerie Love, curator for Human Rights and Alternative Press Collections at the Dodd Research Center, explains, “We are absolutely delighted to add this collection to our holdings. The University of Connecticut houses one of the largest collections of Vietnam War era underground publications in the country, and the poster collection donated by Dr. Poras complements our holdings perfectly by documenting the graphic art and popular culture of that period. The collection offers researchers valuable insights into the war, and illuminates both American and Vietnamese perceptions of the conflict at the time.”
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