Through the American Library Association's Public Programs Office, the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition will tour 50 public and university libraries through November 2023.
This 1,100-square-foot traveling exhibition is based on the exhibition that opened in April 2018 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. The Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition addresses important themes in American history, including Americans’ responses to refugees, war and genocide in the 1930s and ‘40s. 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 ‘40s, 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 ordinary 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. The exhibit hopes to challenge people to not only ask “what would I have done?” but also, “what will I do?”
Where to See This Exhibition
2022
December 1, 2021 – January 14, 2022
- Bangor Public Library (Bangor, ME)
- University of Mississippi (University, MS)
- Yuma County Library District (Yuma, AZ)
January 28 – March 11, 2022
- University of Hawai’i – West O’ahu (Kapolei, HI)
- Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA)
- Georgia Southern University (Statesboro, GA)
- University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)
March 25 – May 6, 2022
- Marshalltown Public Library (Marshalltown, IA)
- University Libraries, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)
- Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library (Bismarck, ND)
May 20 – July 1, 2022
- Pendleton Public Library (Pendleton, OR)
- Saint Peter Public Library (Saint Peter, MN)
- Braswell Memorial Public Library (Rocky Mount, NC)
- Bozeman Public Library (Bozeman, MT)
July 18 – August 29, 2022
- Laramie County Library System (Cheyenne, WY)
- Independence Public Library (Independence, KS)
- Watertown Regional Library (Watertown, SD)
August 26 – October 7, 2022
- Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA)
September 13 – October 25, 2022
- Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI)
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, MO)
- Amarillo Public Library (Amarillo, TX)
November 8 – December 20, 2022
- Juneau Public Libraries (Juneau, AK)
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Lafayette, LA)
- University of Arkansas Libraries (Fayetteville, AR)
- Billings Public Library (Billings, MT)
2023
January 3 – February 14, 2023
- Metropolitan Library System (Oklahoma City, OK)
- Library of Hattiesburg Petal & Forrest County (Hattiesburg, MS)
- Petoskey District Library (Petoskey, MI)
January 20 – March 3, 2023
- Chattanooga Public Library (Chattanooga, TN)
March 17 – April 28, 2023
- Troy University (Troy, AL)
- Boise State University, Albertsons Library (Boise, ID)
- Furman University (Greenville, SC)
- Prairie State College Library (Chicago Heights, IL)
May 12 – June 23, 2023
- Ben May Main Library, Mobile Public Library (Mobile, AL)
- Dayton Metro Library (Dayton, OH)
July 7 – August 18, 2023
- Richland Library (Columbia, SC)
- Washoe County Library System (Reno, NV)
- Chattahoochee Valley Libraries (Columbus, GA)
- Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (Kokomo, IN)
September 1 – October 13, 2023
- Jacksonville Public Library (Jacksonville, FL)
- Snow College, Karen H. Huntsman Library (Ephraim, UT)
- Pikes Peak Library District (Colorado Springs, CO)
- Marshall Public Library (Marshall, IL)
October 26 – January 5, 2024
- Fresno County Public Library (Fresno, CA)
- Milwaukee Public Library (Milwaukee, WI)
- Scott County Public Library (Georgetown, KY)
- New York City College of Technology (CUNY)/Ursula C. Schwerin Library (Brooklyn, NY)
Americans and the Holocaust was made possible by the generous support of lead sponsor Jeannie & Jonathan Lavine. Additional major funding was provided by the Bildners — Joan & Allen z”l, Elisa Spungen & Rob, Nancy & Jim; and Jane and Daniel Och.
The Museum's exhibitions are also supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.
