AHOSKIE, NC –Roanoke-Chowan Community College’s (R-CCC) 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.

Following a highly successful tour to 50 libraries from 2021 to 2023, the touring library exhibition— based on the special exhibition of the same name at the Museum in Washington, D.C. — will travel to an additional 50 U.S. libraries from 2024 to 2026, covering wide distances from Hawaii and Alaska to Texas and New Hampshire.

“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 R-CCC Library Director Carol Anne Hankinson. “Our library is scheduled to receive the exhibition in 2026. This will give us the opportunity to plan and partner with our local schools and community as well as the North Carolina Holocaust Speakers Bureau so that we may offer our area an informed and meaningful experience. The exhibition will challenge people to not only ask ‘what would I have done?’ but also, ‘what will I do?’”

Americans and the Holocaust will be on display at R-CCC’s Library, along with a series of related special events, from Aug. 19 – Sept. 30, 2026.

“We are so pleased to be hosting the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition in just two years. Our hope is that people in our communities far and wide will take the opportunity to visit our campus and take in all that the exhibit offers. This exhibit will share valuable information about our past and help us determine our steps for the future,” said R-CCC President Dr. Murray J. Williams.

The 1,100-square-foot exhibition examines various aspects of American society: the government, the military, refugee aid organizations, the media and the 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.

In addition to the traveling exhibition on loan, the R-CCC Library received a $3,000 cash grant to support public programs. The grant also covered Hankinson’s attendance at a two-day orientation workshop at the Museum.

For more information about Americans and the Holocaust and related programming at the R-CCC Library, visit https://libguides.roanokechowan.edu/home. To learn more about the exhibition, visit ushmm.org/americans-ala.

Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is an educational initiative of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association. The traveling exhibition began by touring to 50 U.S. libraries from 2021 to 2023; due to widespread interest from libraries and communities around the country, a second tour was developed for 2024 to 2026.

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.

Contact R-CCC Director of Library Services Carol Anne Hankinson at 252-862-1240 for more information.

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

 

 

 

Roanoke-Chowan Community College’s Mission
Roanoke-Chowan Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System and located in Hertford County, is a public, two-year institution of higher education offering associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, college and career readiness, and customized business and industry training in a variety of delivery modes promoting public service, transfer, and workforce development for a diverse student body, leading them to contribute to the vitality of an increasingly global community. www.roanokechowan.edu #DiscoverRCCC “Where community and careers connect”

Media Contact: Melanie Temple, Director of Marketing & Recruitment/PIO, metemple7181@roanokechowan.edu, 252-862-1243