This winter, Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Main Library will host a nationally recognized exhibition that asks big questions about history, responsibility, and the choices people make in moments of crisis.
From Feb. 5 through March 19, CML will present Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association. The exhibit explores how Americans responded to the rise of Nazism and the unfolding genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s, examining what people knew, how they felt, and what actions they did or did not take.
Columbus is one of just 50 libraries across the country selected to host the exhibition during its current tour, which runs from 2024 to 2026. The exhibition previously traveled to 50 libraries between 2021 and 2023, drawing widespread interest and prompting organizers to expand the program to reach more communities nationwide.
“We are honored to be selected from a competitive pool of applicants from all across the nation to host this important and powerful exhibition,” said CML CEO Lauren Hagan. “It will challenge people to not only ask ‘What would I have done?’ but also, ‘What will I do?’”
The 1,100-square-foot exhibition draws from primary sources from the 1930s and 1940s to paint a more nuanced picture of American society during the Holocaust.
Visitors will explore the roles of the U.S. government, the military, refugee aid organizations, the media, and the general public, while also confronting how the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism shaped public response.
Rather than reinforcing the idea that Americans were unaware or powerless, the exhibition highlights stories of individuals and groups who took action, challenging long-held assumptions about the era.
An opening reception will take place at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, and is open to both the public and members of the media. The program will include remarks from CML Trustee Tariq Tarey, Director of Refugee Social Services for Jewish Family Services, along with library leaders and representatives from the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission.
In addition to hosting the exhibition, CML received a $3,000 grant to support related public programming and staff training connected to the exhibit.
Americans and the Holocaust will be on display at the Main Library throughout its run, alongside special events designed to deepen community engagement and discussion. More information about the exhibition can be found at ushmm.org/americans-ala.
For those looking to better understand the past and reflect on its relevance today, this exhibit offers a meaningful and timely opportunity right in the heart of downtown Columbus.
