Americans and the Holocaust Traveling Exhibition Coming to The Library Center
April 17, 2024 — SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield-Greene County Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries newly selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association (ALA) that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
“We are so proud to be selected from a competitive pool of applicants from all across the nation to host this important and powerful exhibition,” said Local History and Genealogy Manager Brian Grubbs. “We are so excited to bring this exhibit to our community, and work with our partners to provide engaging and thought-provoking programing.”
Americans and the Holocaust will be on display at The Library Center, along with a series of related special events in June and July 2026.
The 1,100-square-foot exhibition examines various aspects of American society: the government, the military, refugee aid organizations, the media and the general public. Drawing on a remarkable collection of primary sources from the 1930s and ’40s, the exhibition tells the stories of Americans who acted in response to Nazism, challenging the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded. It provides a portrait of American society that shows how the Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism shaped responses to Nazism and the Holocaust.
Americans and the Holocaust was made possible by the generous support of lead sponsor Jeannie & Jonathan Lavine. Additional major funding was provided by the Bildners — Joan & Allen z”l, Elisa Spungen & Rob, Nancy & Jim; and Jane and Daniel Och. The Museum's exhibitions are also supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.
The Library District has partnered with the History Museum on the Square, Missouri State University Special Collections and Archives, Temple Israel, the Missouri Humanities Council, and Dr. Mara Cohen Ioannides to bring this exhibit and program series to Springfield. Additional support was made possible, in part, by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
About the Springfield-Greene County Library
The Springfield-Greene County Library serves the 300,000 citizens of Greene County, Missouri, with ten branches, a Mobile Library and two Library Express kiosks. The Library Center serves as the administrative home and main branch of the system and is housed in an 82,000-square-foot facility that includes amenities characteristic of larger urban libraries. In early 2026, the Library Center will open an addition that includes a 500-seat auditorium that will feature many of the Americans and the Holocaust events.
About the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
A nonpartisan, federal educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. For more information, visit ushmm.org.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.
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