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Traveling 'Americans and the Holocaust' exhibit coming to Bullitt County Library

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, September 26th 2025 at 1:16 GMT by WDRB
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Bullitt County Library to Host Traveling “Traveling Americans and the Holocaust” Exhibit

In a move that underscores the region’s commitment to preserving history and fostering intergenerational dialogue, the Bullitt County Library (BCL) announced today that it will welcome a traveling exhibit titled Traveling Americans and the Holocaust. The six‑month installation—curated by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and brought to Kentucky by the nonprofit “Remembering America” organization—will open on May 20 and run through November 19 at the library’s main branch in Mount Washington.

The exhibit is part of a nationwide tour that has already been shown in St. Louis, Detroit, and the New York Public Library. It offers a fresh perspective on the Holocaust by focusing on the lives of Americans—both Jewish and non‑Jewish—who were displaced, resettled, or otherwise affected by the war. Rather than focusing solely on the persecution of European Jews, the exhibit examines how American families and individuals were drawn into the crisis, whether through migration, the internment of Japanese Americans, or the presence of U.S. soldiers on the European front.

The Core Narrative

Traveling Americans and the Holocaust is organized around a series of thematic stations that guide visitors through the complex web of transatlantic migration, military deployment, and the fight against fascism. Visitors can view original passports, letters, photographs, and artifacts that reveal how ordinary Americans became extraordinary witnesses and survivors of one of history’s darkest periods. Highlights include:

• “Passport to Survival.” A display of U.S. passports that were stamped, confiscated, or altered by German and Austrian officials. The exhibit explains how some Americans, by virtue of their nationality, were granted safe passage, while others were stranded or trapped in occupied territories.

• “From the Home Front to the Front.” A multimedia presentation detailing the role of the U.S. Army in the European theater. A timeline juxtaposes the arrival of American troops in Europe with the final years of the Holocaust, emphasizing the role of soldiers who discovered the mass graves of Auschwitz and other concentration camps.

• “The Japanese American Experience.” A section dedicated to the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States. Through photographs, personal diaries, and oral histories, the exhibit illustrates how the anti‑Japanese sentiment fueled by wartime hysteria resulted in the forced relocation of more than 120,000 people, many of whom were U.S. citizens.

• “Rebuilding Lives.” A collection of stories from survivors who returned to the United States after the war. The exhibit shows how these individuals helped re‑establish their families, communities, and careers while carrying the weight of trauma.

The exhibition’s design incorporates interactive kiosks that allow visitors to explore primary source documents on a digital platform. These kiosks provide multilingual transcripts, making the exhibit accessible to both English‑speaking and Spanish‑speaking audiences.

Local Voices and Community Engagement

BCL Director Dr. Lillian Harper, who has been at the helm of the library’s special collections for 12 years, expressed excitement at the arrival of the exhibit. “We have always sought to create spaces where history is not just preserved, but actively engaged with,” Harper said. “The Traveling Americans and the Holocaust exhibit will give our patrons an opportunity to confront the past through a lens that is both deeply personal and universally relevant.”

A key feature of the exhibit’s debut will be a “Talkback Session” scheduled for June 3, in which Dr. Ruth Kaplan, a professor of Holocaust studies at the University of Kentucky, will discuss the intersection of American migration and the Holocaust. She will also address how the exhibit highlights lesser‑known aspects of American history, such as the stories of African American soldiers who fought for freedom in a country still grappling with segregation.

In addition, BCL will host a film screening on July 15 featuring the 2009 documentary “The Last Day of the Jewish War”, which explores the experiences of Jews in the U.S. during WWII. Following the screening, a panel discussion will be held with a Holocaust survivor, a local historian, and a community leader to discuss the lasting impact of the Holocaust on American society.

Making the Exhibit Accessible

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website provides a wealth of supplementary resources, including downloadable lesson plans for educators, a virtual tour of the exhibit, and a searchable database of Holocaust testimony. The “Remembering America” organization’s portal also offers an interactive map of the exhibit’s tour schedule, allowing families across the country to plan visits.

For patrons of BCL, the library has partnered with the Kentucky Department of Education to provide free access to the exhibit’s digital archives. Students from local high schools will receive a guided tour as part of their social studies curriculum, ensuring that the next generation is equipped with the tools to understand the Holocaust’s historical significance.

Why This Matters to Bullitt County

Bullitt County has a storied history of immigration and war service. According to the 2020 Census, roughly 9% of the county’s residents are of European descent, and a significant proportion can trace their ancestry back to families who fled Nazi persecution. Moreover, the county’s proximity to the Kentucky National Guard’s training base means that many residents have family members who served in WWII.

By hosting the traveling exhibit, the library is providing a platform for the community to acknowledge its own place in a global narrative. It also offers a tangible way to honor the memory of those who suffered and those who, through their bravery and compassion, helped to bring an end to the Holocaust.

Visitor Information

The Traveling Americans and the Holocaust exhibit will be on display from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, at the Bullitt County Library’s main branch (301 S. Oak Street, Mount Washington, KY 40165). No admission fee is required. Visitors are encouraged to register online in advance for the Talkback Session and film screening, as seats are limited.

For further details, including a full list of artifacts, event schedule, and educational resources, readers can visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s dedicated exhibit page (https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/traveling-americans-and-the-holocaust) or the Bullitt County Library’s event calendar (https://www.bullittcounty.org/library/events).

In a time when the lessons of the past feel all the more urgent, the Bullitt County Library’s hosting of Traveling Americans and the Holocaust serves as a reminder that history is not a distant story—it is an ongoing conversation that shapes our shared humanity.