VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)—Vincennes University will be hosting a traveling exhibit entitled “Americans and the Holocaust” that will also feature events exploring the tragic period.
The exhibit will debut March 17 and run through April 28 at the Shake Library. The news release states that the exhibit will explore the motives, pressures, and fears that shaped the American response to Nazism, war, and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. The exhibit was provided to the University thanks to a collaboration with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.
VU Director of Library Services Charla Gilbert said, “The “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit holds deep significance as it examines a pivotal and sobering chapter in history, reminding us of the importance of understanding our past to shape a more compassionate future. The Shake Library is honored to host this exhibit at VU, offering community members, VU students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to engage with its powerful message through tours and accompanying events. Together, we hope to foster important dialogue, deepen understanding, and honor the memory of those impacted by this tragic period in history.”
Shake Library has also created something they call the Butterfly Project. The school is encouraging people in the community to create butterflies through different artistic mediums such as paper, ceramics, photography, and more to honor the lives lost in the Holocaust. The school recommends visiting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s database of the over 600 ID cards to get inspiration for the lives being honored. The butterflies were inspired by Pavel Friedmann, a Jewish Czechoslovak poet who wrote the poem “The Butterfly” while in the Theresienstadt Ghetto according to the Butterfly Project site. The butterflies will be displayed throughout the campus.
The Shake Library’s exhibit will be open while the library operating hours are in effect. 25 minute guided tours are available, but you have to sign up for them at this link, or if you’re bringing a large party. For additional information, to submit photos or digital files of your butterflies, or to schedule a time to drop them off, you can contact Tiarra Basham at tiarra.basham@vinu.edu. Several other events relating to the Holocaust will be taking place on campus as well throughout March and April, and you can find those here.
