In this episode of our local program Making Democracy Work, Leslie Carrier speaks with Jessie Alexander, branch manager for the Library Center branch of the Springfield-Greene County Library District about the traveling exhibit “Americans and the Holocaust."
As part of the 250th anniversary of the United States this year, the library is hosting some special programs and exhibits. One of those specifically is on the Holocaust. So, Jesse, tell us about the upcoming exhibit on the Holocaust, and why did the library decide to bring that to town?
Alexander: Okay, this exhibit is called "Americans and the Holocaust," and it explores two questions: What did Americans know about the Holocaust and what more could have been done? It's a traveling exhibit of panels, videos and interactive elements. This exhibit was important for us to bring to Springfield because, number one, it was offered, and we're always on the lookout for excellent exhibits that we can bring to our community. This is a condensed version of a permanent exhibit in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which is in Washington, D.C. The museum partnered with the American Library Association to connect with communities who would be interested in hosting this exhibit because it raises challenging and important questions about this critical moment in history. We feel like it's important to provide our community with experiences like this exhibit because it allows people access to a museum exhibit that they would otherwise have to travel to see, and they'll be able to consider information that could be new to them. And the grant funding provided has allowed us to line up some excellent programs as well.
So, tell us about the exhibit itself. Where will it be located and what other programs are tied in with it?
Alexander: The exhibit itself is going to be at the Library Center, and it's going to be located in our reading room, our magazine reading room, which is just across the concourse hallway from our café, from the Golden Goose Cafe. It's going to be in that space for the entirety of the exhibit period, which is June 15th through July 27th. We have eight programs lined up around this exhibit. We're starting off with Springfield Jewish Response to the Holocaust with Doctor Maura Cohen Ioannidis. And then we're hosting a Holocaust survivor named Erica Schwartz to come and talk about her family's experiences on June 23rd. On June 25th, we are hosting the curator of the exhibit, Doctor Daniel Green, and he's going to talk about the U.S. public's response to Nazism and why rescuing Europe's Jews never became a priority for the government or most Americans. On June 30th, we've got the Making of Magneto, How the Holocaust Redefined X History, and that refers to X-Men comics. So, Doctor Fierce will talk with us about Magneto's history and how it reflects trauma and how the X-Men used pop culture to broaden understanding of the Holocaust, particularly for younger audiences. On July 9th, we are hosting Hell Before Their Very Eyes with Doctor John C McManus. He's a professor of history at Missouri S and T, and he's going to share stories of the soldiers who liberated Dachau, Buchenwald. And I'm not sure I'm saying this right. All of those were concentration camps. On July 14th, we have a family search program on Jewish genealogy research. And then we have another MSU professor, Doctor Sarah Panzer will explore how Nazi ideology and propaganda evolved and was inspired by similar policies in other countries. And her program is called Nazi Germany and Global Politics of Race and Space. And then finally, we've got a conversation with Sharon Cameron, who wrote a novel called The Light in Hidden Places. This is a novel based on the true story of a woman who sheltered 13 Jews in her attic during World War two. That's our program series, and it's pretty incredible. All of these programs are taking place in our new Hatch Auditorium at the Library Center.
Well, great. Thank you. That's a robust list of programs coming up this summer. So, is this exhibit part of an effort on the library to celebrate and memorialize the 250th anniversary this year?
Alexander: Absolutely. It ties in well with that because, you know, the whole point, I think one of the initiatives about the 250th anniversary of the United States is encouraging people to reflect on key moments in our history and what what does that look like now and what do we think about that now? And again, this exhibit is exploring how Americans responded to Nazism, war and genocide throughout the 30s and 40s. And, you know, it's examining choices and challenges that were faced by both leaders and everyday citizen.
So, can you repeat the dates that this exhibit will be available?
Alexander: Yes. June 15th through July 27th.
And I know you went over the long list of exhibits that are available, but how can listeners find out more like through the Bookends, the library newsletter online?
Alexander: Yeah. So come to the library.org. That's the Springfield-Greene County Library District's website. There you'll see a box for the Americans in the Holocaust exhibit, and the program series is listed there. You can also look at the bookends magazine. That's our program of events. You can look at that online at thelibrary.org or you can come to any library branch and pick up a hard copy. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.