The St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center debuts a new interactive exhibit called “Change Begins With Me: Confronting Hate, Discrimination and Ethnic Conflict” this week on the premise that “the lessons of the Holocaust are not yet learned.”
HMLC Director Jean Cavender told host Don Marsh, “We can’t choose every instance of discrimination taking place, but we’re able to bring new stories from all over the world... We’ll have more stories as - unfortunately - life goes on, because as we know hate and discrimination continue to flourish.”
Cavender joined Webster University Professors Warren Rosenblum and Michael Hulsizer for a conversation about the future of Holocaust education, contemporary parallels to 1930s European discrimination, and the new interactive touch-screen exhibit.
Rosenblum is an Associate Professor of History and Director of European Studies and Hulsizer is a Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
In the spirit of technological engagement, we asked our Twitter followers, “STL Holocaust Museum Director says the new exhibit will not focus on Jews. Which issues - global or local - would you like to see explored?"
Tweeters from the St. Louis area responded. Many wanted to draw parallels between 1930s history and local cases. Here’s a sample of the conversation:
- Local issue: The division of STL City and County, why it happened and its effect on our region
- Pruitt-Igoe — a local example of ghetto-ization, and potential successes and failures in the future with McKee NorthSide project.
A listener from Soulard emailed:
Being Iranian-American, I have fears of receiving some of the hatred that is being directed towards the Middle East, especially with the situation with Iran escalating in recent months. At times I am hesitant to tell people [about] my heritage, something that I used to be very proud [of].
And Karen from the Central West End called to say:
President Clinton recalls his admin’s response to the genoicde in Rwanda as one of the greatest failures of his presidency... I see a lot of young people taking responsibility for [genocides] in Congo or in Sudan, but it doesn’t seem to be an issue for mainstream America.
We welcome your ideas in the comments section below.
Related Event
Holocaust Museum and Learning Center Exhibition "Change Begins With Me"
Monday - Thursday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Opening December 6, 9:45 a.m.
Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, 12 Millstone Campus Drive
Assistance from Ariana Tobin
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