This weekend, several years’ worth of work is finally going to be on display for history lovers of the High Plains. We are so proud to see that the Amarillo Public Library is hosting Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibit curated and managed by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in conjunction with the American Library Association. Amarillo was one of only 25 public libraries (and only 50 libraries nationwide) that was selected to present the full-scale, interactive exhibition. It’ll be on display starting this Saturday during regular library hours and will remain through October 23. The tour is self-guided, so please make a point of experiencing this immersive, living-history experience.
Amarillo Public Library - Downtown Branch (Hours):
Sunday 2–6PM
Monday 9AM–9PM
Tuesday 9AM–9PM
Wednesday 9AM–9PM
Thursday 9AM–9PM
Friday 9AM–6PM
Saturday 9AM–6PM
The Americans and the Holocaust exhibit, tours, and related programs are all free and open to the public. Click here for more information. Plus, scroll down for details on the fascinating Lecture Series and Documentary Film Series designed to more deeply examine some of the themes contained within the exhibit, 9/22 through 10/20.
MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBITION: In the fall of 2019, the American Library Association and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum selected 50 libraries (25 university libraries and 25 public libraries) out of over 250 applicants to host the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit. The Amarillo Public Library is the only public library in the state of Texas among them.
Created through a partnership with the American Library Association and the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, this 1,100-square-foot exhibition addresses important themes in American history, including Americans’ responses to refugees, war, and genocide in the 1930s and ‘40s. This exhibition challenges 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?”
Acknowledgements:
Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is an educational initiative of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.
The Americans and the Holocaust exhibit was made possible by the generous support of lead sponsors Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine. Additional major funding was provided by the Bildners – Joan & Allen z”l, Eliza 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.
Americans and the Holocaust will be on display in the lower level of the Amarillo Public Library Downtown location, 413 SE 4th Avenue during regular library hours. The exhibition is self-guided. Tours for groups and school classrooms must be arranged in advance provided adequate library staffing allows. For more information or to arrange a tour, please contact Cynthia Hunt weekdays between 9 AM and 5 PM by phone 806-378-6019 or by email at cynthia.hunt@amarillolibrary.org.
