‘Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibit comes to Furman University

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - An exhibit that looks at the Holocaust through the eyes of Americans just went on display at Furman University.

It’s part of a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.

“The Holocaust only happened 80 years ago, and we are still learning about what happened,” said Furman University English Chair and Professor Melinda Menzer.

Menzer’s grandfather was able to escape the Holocaust in Europe and come to America.

“When I think of all that this country has done for my family, and what a fantastic opportunity it was for us to come here, to be Americans, to be proud citizens of this country,” she said.

But that’s not the story for her whole extended family.

“I am at the same time saddened to think that his brothers and sisters, their children, my father’s little cousins didn’t have that opportunity,” she added.

Menzer, and others at Furman, helped bring the ‘Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibit to the James B. Duke Library Atrium.

“I think this is a great way of creating empathy and educating those students to feel like they can make a difference,” said Furman University Director of Libraries Caroline Mills.

The exhibit looks at America’s role, response, and reaction to the Holocaust and World War II through the 1930s and 1940s.

Furman is one of 50 libraries the exhibit will be shown.

“I think that Americans should see this exhibit as an opportunity to find out more about themselves,” said Menzer.

From the way the Holocaust was covered in the news to the change in U.S. immigration policies, Menzer, who also serves on the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust, says even she learned things for the first time through the exhibit.

“Those lessons that we have learned from that research can really inform us in the decisions that we make today,” she said.

For more information about dates, times, and special programs for the exhibit, click here.

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