'Americans and the Holocaust' exhibit at Amarillo library offers new perspective

The Amarillo Public Library is inviting the community and surrounding region in a unique opportunity to learn more about one of the darkest times in American history with "Americans and the Holocaust." The traveling exhibition created by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association will be on display at the Downtown Amarillo Public Library beginning Saturday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 23 during library hours.

"Americans and the Holocaust" examines the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. APL is one of only 50 libraries nationwide, and is the only public library in Texas, selected to host the touring library exhibition, which is based on the special exhibition of the same name located at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

"The museum really wanted this history of what information was available for Americans during the time that the Holocaust was happening in Europe and how they reacted and responded to the information. This is the story of the American people, and we know that not everyone lives or has access to travel to Washington to visit our gallery, so this traveling exhibition allows for it to be viewed and accessed across the entire country," said Rebecca Erbelding, historian for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and historian on the "Americans and the Holocaust" exhibition.

Based on extensive new research of that period, "Americans and the Holocaust" addresses important themes in American history, exploring the many factors that influenced decisions made by the U.S. government, the media, organizations, and individuals such as the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism as the country 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.

The exhibit draws on a collection of primary sources from the 1930s and ’40s, focusing 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.

"This is the chance of a lifetime. We have a world class exhibition, beautifully presented and very informative, accessible here locally. We designed the timing of our program to allow everyone in the area to come and view this exhibition. It's 1,100 square feet, multimedia, deals with a very controversial topic and shows an American perspective that not everyone is aware of or knows of," said Cynthia Hunt, library programs specialist for APL.

The exhibit will also include a lecture series, "Modern Perspectives on the Holocaust," and presentations by renowned journalists and historians, as well as student presenters from Amarillo College’s Presidential Scholars Program who visited the site of approximately 1 million deaths during the Holocaust while touring Krakow and Oswiecim, Poland earlier this year. These weekly presentations take place in the Amarillo Civic Center’s Heritage Room on Saturday afternoons from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15. Doors open at 2 p.m., and presentations begin at 2:30.

"The Holocaust is a really important part of our history, in part because we talk about the Holocaust all the time. We look back and we think about what we would have, could have and should have done as Americans, and so it's really important for people to learn about it, so that when we talk about it and have these debates that everyone is coming from the same understanding of what happened," said Erbelding.

In addition to the special guest speakers, a documentary film series "Americans and the Holocaust in Film" focuses on one or more aspects of the "Americans and the Holocaust" exhibition, each followed by a brief audience discussion after the screenings. This film series is made possible, in part, by the support from Panhandle PBS and Friends of the Amarillo Public Library. The films will take place Sept. 22 through Oct. 20 at the Amarillo Public Library’s Southwest Branch beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday evenings; doors will open to the public at 6:30 p.m.

"Americans and the Holocaust" is self-guided and admission is free, as are all the related programs being held by the library.

For more information or to schedule a group visit and view related programming, go online to https://www.amarillolibrary.org/services/americans-and-the-holocaust .

According to the APL, "Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries" is made possible by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.

"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.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo library hosts "Americans and the Holocaust" traveling exhibit