The famous Peace Cross that stands over 40 feet tall at a Maryland intersection is being questioned as unconstitutional in the Supreme Court. However, this monument is more than just a cross; it is a memorial for 49 world war one soldiers. Reporters Ann Marimow and Michael Ruane spent months researching these soldiers and reading archival documents that painted a picture of each soldier’s life. The reporters wrote rich stories about the lives these men led and the heroism some of them exhibited during the war.
With such strong text, I knew the visuals had to do it justice. The first roadblock was the sheer amount of documents/visuals that I had. However, some soldiers had way more than others.
After playing around with different ideas, I went with a design that allowed all 49 soldiers to get a bio card along with an interactive photo display. Users can also look up a specific person by using the search bar.
While scrolling on a soldier’s photo, a navigation box shows the user what section of the photo they are looking at.
Overall, the was a great chance to create an interactive that highlighted the reporter’s hard work and research.
Social
The Peace Cross memorial to WW I vets sits at a busy intersection and is part of a legal battle reaching to the SCOTUS. But who are those 49 warriors? Great research, reporting and stunning visuals via @amarimow @michaelruane @madisonlynwalls https://t.co/JlIymqfkF6
— Mary Pat Flaherty (@marypatflaherty) September 21, 2018
ICYMI: Meticulously researched, beautifully presented story with interactive historical records on each of the 49 soldiers remembered at the #PeaceCross. https://t.co/JlIymqfkF6 y @amarimow @michaelruane @madisonlynwalls @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/nBd8RyPhZS
— Mary Pat Flaherty (@marypatflaherty) November 2, 2018