An exhibit exploring the United State’s perception of the holocaust and its response to Nazism is coming to Spokane later this month.
Gonzaga University’s Foley Center Library was one of 50 locations chosen to host an exhibit on American perception and response to the Holocaust.
Paul Bracke, dean of the Foley Library, says the exhibit will focus on cultural forces at work in the United States at the time and how they impacted American’s response.
“The core question is as Nazism, war and genocide were happening in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, what did Americans and how could more have been done,” he said.
It will explore both the xenophobia and anti-semitism at the time, as well as the stories of Americans who did try to help European Jews facing genocide.
He says in addition to the exhibit, there will also be a panel featuring the director of Gonzaga’s Center for the Study of Hate as well as others to discuss modern parallels.
“I think the exhibit really invites people to think about how these things are relevant today,” he said.
The exhibit, which is from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, will begin August 23 and will be in the Cowles Rare Books room in the Foley Library.
- Aug. 23-28: Monday-Friday, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
- Aug. 29-Sept. 30: Wednesday, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.
- Oct. 1-7: Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and Monday-Friday, 3 p.m.- 8 p.m.
Tours are also available by appointment.
The panel is September 8 in the Hemmingson Center Ballroom at 7 p.m.