Holocaust Memorial museum exhibit coming to Quincy University in October 2026

QUINCY, Ill. – Quincy University’s Brenner Library is one of 50 sites in the United States selected by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association to host the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition. This exhibit will be at Brenner Library from Oct. 23 to Dec. 4, 2026.

In a press release, QU President Brian McGee said, “As the host for one of only two stops for this exhibit in Illinois, Quincy University is committed to playing a consequential role in Holocaust education. We are particularly honored to be scheduled as the final stop for the exhibition following a national tour that will take more than two years to complete.

“In receiving this exhibit, we at QU commit to teaching and learning the enduring lessons of the Holocaust, beginning with the human capacity for inhumanity. We must never forget.”

Americans and the Holocaust is a 1,100-square-foot traveling exhibition that addresses significant Holocaust-related themes in American history and examines multiple viewpoints of American people in the 1930s and 1940s, from Olympic athletes to government officials to Hollywood producers to relatives of people in Germany and Nazi-controlled areas.

Katie Kraushaar, dean of Brenner Library, recently returned from training at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., a mandatory part of preparing to host the exhibit.

“It is humbling and inspiring to see the work that is being done at the museum and to know that the host sites are being entrusted with sharing the work in our communities,” said Kraushaar. “We have to remember the history and recognize how important it is to have the proof – documents, newsreels, photos and personal stories – of what happened to millions of people and how to prevent it from ever happening again.”

Kraushaar worked with the QU Advancement Department and several faculty members to submit the grant application to host the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit. Letters of support from Illinois Veterans Home Quincy, POLIS at QU, the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County, Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy Public Schools were influential in Quincy University’s selection as a host site.

The grant application included direct support from Wendell Mauter, professor emeritus of history; Robert Manning, school of humanities dean and professor of philosophy; Padraic Rohan, assistant professor of history; and other members of the QU community. Their input was instrumental in assuring the grant review committee that QU could host the exhibit with maximum impact in the community.

“We will be reaching out to regional schools, local organizations and the general public to ensure access to the exhibit while it is here,” Kraushaar said. “A speaker series, movies, and discussion opportunities will be offered in addition to lesson plans and resources for those who want to learn more.”

The grant also includes funds to support promotions and special events related to the exhibit.

More information about Americans and the Holocaust is available at https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/traveling-exhibitions/americans-and-the-holocaust.