Pikes Peak Library District will host an opening reception for Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
The American Library Association says of this exhibit:
Based on extensive new research of that period, Americans and the Holocaust addresses important themes in American history, exploring the many factors — including the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism — that influenced decisions made by the U.S. government, the news media, organizations, and individuals as they responded to Nazism. This exhibition will challenge the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded.
Drawing on a remarkable collection of primary sources from the 1930s and 1940s, the exhibition focuses on the stories of individuals and groups of Americans who took action in response to Nazism. It will challenge visitors to consider the responsibilities and obstacles faced by individuals — from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to everyday Americans — who made difficult choices, sought to effect change, and, in a few cases, took significant risks to help victims of Nazism even as rescue never became a government priority.
We are honored to be selected as one of 50 U.S. libraries to present the touring version of the Americans and the Holocaust special exhibition, which opened in April 2018 at the Museum in Washington, D.C., during the Museum’s 25th anniversary.
Exhibit Details:
- See the exhibit mid-September through mid-October at East Library.
- To learn more about the exhibition itself, visit ushmm.org/americans-ala.
- More information, including tour opportunities and program offerings, will be announced at a later date. If you are interested in receiving the most up-to-date information, sign up here (Scroll down and select “Americans and the Holocaust Traveling Exhibit and Programs”).
Contact:
- Questions? Contact us at exhibit@ppld.org.
Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is made possible by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.