A traveling exhibit titled “Americans and the Holocaust” is at the Pendleton Library through July 1.

PENDLETON — The Pendleton Library is one of the chosen 50 U.S. libraries to hold the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit from May 23 to July 1.

Loaned from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association, the exhibit uses new research from the 1930s and 1940s to shed light on how anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and other factors influenced the U.S. response to Nazism during the Holocaust.

The exhibit is meant to challenge its viewers’ prior idea of Americans being unaware of the mass genocide by presenting extensive research along with the stories of brave Americans who took a stand against Nazism.

In the library’s press release, Library Assistant Director James Simpson said the two questions the exhibit was created to answer are: “What did Americans know about the Holocaust? And what more could have been done?”

The latter is left for viewers to answer for themselves after seeing the stories and plethora of information provided.

The exhibit consists of four kiosks, 16 themed panels, films and an interactive video. These discuss the influences behind the decisions made by the U.S. government, media, Hollywood, other organizations and individuals regarding Nazism and the war. Along with this are stories and information on how the Holocaust affected immigration, refugees, the Olympics and U.S. public opinion during the time.

The Pendleton Library is the only library in Oregon to display the “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibit. This is a limited time exhibition that will move on from Oregon on July 1.

The library, 502 SW Dorion Ave., is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information visit www.pendleton.or.us/library.

Moving on

There will be two more chances to see this exhibit in areas nearby: Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, from Aug. 26 to Oct. 7 and at Boise State University from March 17 to April 28, 2023.

The exhibit will have visited 50 libraries when its yearlong journey ends Nov. 30, 2023.