Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration Lecture Series

Throughout 2021, Arlington National Cemetery recognized the centennial of the creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This anniversary culminated during the week of Veterans Day with ceremonies and special events. On November 9 and 10, 2021, the public had the rare opportunity to walk near the Tomb and lay a flower there in tribute to America’s unknown service members. Thousands of people participated. To enhance this experience, our History Office organized a series of interpretive lectures to provide more context about the history, legacy, and meanings of the Tomb.

Held in the historic Memorial Amphitheater, this lecture series brought together experts from Arlington National Cemetery and throughout the federal government. To make the lectures available to those who could not attend in person, we asked these experts to come back and record their talks so we could release them digitally. We are excited to share their fascinating presentations with the public through the twelve episodes in our Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration Lecture Series. Follow the links below to listen to each episode and explore related photos and resources.

 


Lecture Series Episode Pages:

 

Learn more:

 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Homepage: Access all of the resources ANC created for this anniversary.

A Century of Honor: A Commemorative Guide to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: This publication tells the story of the Tomb’s creation, history, and significance.

Tomb Centennial Monthly Events Series: Watch the recordings and videos from our monthly events series.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Education Module: Part of ANC’s Education Program, this module immerses students and lifelong learners of all ages in the history of the Tomb. Be sure to check out the walking tours.

Exhibit Tour: Memorial Amphitheater Display Room

Exhibit Tour: Welcome Center Exhibit

Tomb 100 on Army.mil

Tomb 100 on Defense.gov