KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney is hosting “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and American Library Association.
Opening Thursday in UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library, the exhibit explores the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and ’40s. Through photographs, film footage, documents and personal stories, “Americans and the Holocaust” asks visitors to consider a powerful question: What would I do?
“This exhibition challenges visitors to look honestly at the choices made by individuals, institutions and the nation as a whole during one of the most challenging moments in modern history,” said Laurinda Weisse, university archivist, digital repository manager and associate professor at UNK. “It encourages reflection not only on the past but also on our everyday choices and responsibilities.”
The 1,100-square-foot display is based on the exhibit that opened in April 2018 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. It examines American society through the lens of government policy, the media, refugee aid organizations, the military and public opinion. Drawing on primary sources from the time, the exhibit complicates the assumption that Americans were unaware of Nazi persecution and highlights how economic hardship, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism influenced national and individual responses.
Part of a 50-stop, nationwide tour, the exhibit runs through March 19 at UNK. An opening reception is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 9 with light refreshments and tours. UNK associate history professor Torsten Homberger will speak about the rise of Nazism and provide historical context for the exhibition.
In conjunction with the exhibit, UNK and community partners will host a series of public programs designed to deepen engagement with the themes explored. Those include:
- “The Great Dictator” – Directed, produced by and starring Charlie Chaplin, the 1940 dark comedy condemns Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Following the film, UNK faculty will discuss its historical context and cultural impact. 6 p.m. Feb. 8, The World Theatre
- “German POW Camps in Nebraska” – Expert panelists will discuss World War II and German POW camps in Nebraska, as well as how historic sites interpret this history. Noon Feb. 20, Kearney Public Library
- “Americans and the Holocaust Symposium” – UNK students will present work on topics related to the exhibit. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 25, UNK’s Nebraskan Student Union
- “Most Honorable Son” – The 1970 film tells the story of Nebraska native Ben Kuroki, the only Japanese American in the U.S. Army Air Forces to serve in combat in the Pacific during World War II. A panel discussion will follow. 6 p.m. March 3, Kearney Public Library
- “From Swastika to Jim Crow” – The 2000 documentary explores the story of German Jewish scholars who fled the Nazis and were welcomed by historically Black colleges in the U.S. South. A panel discussion will follow. 6 p.m. March 5, UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library
The “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit and all related events are free and open to the public. More information is available at tinyurl.com/unk-aath. Calvin T. Ryan Library hours are 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. to midnight Sunday.
