‘Americans and the Holocaust’ traveling exhibition coming to Watertown Regional Library

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Watertown Regional Library is one of 50 libraries selected to host “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling display from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The exhibit examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and ’40s.

The display will be in town from Tuesday through Aug. 28, and there will be a series of related events during that span. The opening is at 7 p.m. Tuesday and will feature Michael Mullin, professor of history at  Augustana University.

“Americans and the Holocaust” addresses themes in American history, exploring factors including the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism that influenced decisions made by the U.S. government, media, organizations and individuals as they responded to Nazism, according to a news release.

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, per the release.

Using a remarkable collection of primary sources from the 1930s and ’40s, the display focuses on the stories of individuals and groups of Americans who took action in response to Nazism.

For more information about “Americans and the Holocaust” and related programming at Watertown Regional Library, visit www.watlib.org. To learn more about the exhibition, visit ushmm.org.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: americans-and-holocaust-exhibition-coming-watertown-library/10033102002/” data-ylk=”slk:’Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibition coming to Watertown Library” class=”link “>’Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibition coming to Watertown Library