Holocaust Remembrance Education

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes.” George Santayana (1863-1952)

Confronting Evil: Engaging Our Responsibility to Prevent Genocide

Tuesday, Apr. 16, 2024, 5:30 PM, Fowler Auditorium, Stewart Center

Speaker Dr. James Waller will focus on the current risks facing us and our role in responding. Waller is the inaugural Christopher J. Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at the University of Connecticut. At UConn, he also directs the Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs for the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute and is a Professor of Literatures, Cultures, Languages, and Human Rights. In addition, he is a Visiting Scholar at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, Queen’s University Belfast. He is the author of six books, most notably his award-winning Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing, Confronting Evil: Engaging Our Responsibility to Prevent Genocide, and A Troubled Sleep: Risk and Resilience in Contemporary Northern Ireland.

Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Conference Educator Workshop

Learning lessons from the past about the risks faced by democratic societies is a key skill of informed citizens. The Ackerman Center has supported the Educator Workshop as part of the Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Conference (GLHRC) for over 20 years because of the importance of continuing to teach the history of the Holocaust and associated topics in our classrooms. The Educator Workshop supports new teachers as well as those with a great deal of experience and appeals to teachers of many subject areas including English and social studies.

Two participants looking at a timeline of events on a table

News and Awards

Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Committee (GLHRC) receives “Never Again Ambassador Award”

The Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Committee (GLHRC) received the “Never Again Ambassador Award” at the Indianapolis Capitol on November 9, 2021. The award was accepted by committee chair Sarah Powley. The Indianapolis Jewish Relations Council and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission jointly presented the honor for GLHRC’s 40 years of work to “create meaningful spaces for both the memories and lessons of the Holocaust to never be forgotten, so that such atrocities never happen again.” For over 20 years, the Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship has supported the GLHRC because of the importance of continuing to teach the history of the Holocaust and associated topics in our classrooms.

2023 Workshop
The Assignment: Being an Upstander

Tuesday, Sept. 19^th 2023 | 5:00-8:00 pm

Speaker: Liza Wiemer, author of The Assignment

Dinner provided

Workshop is for ALL middle and high school teachers, whether or not you would teach the novel.

The author will discuss the impact of social media and pop culture on hatred, including some of the positive things happening online. You will come away with enthusiasm and ideas for helping your students see themselves as Upstanders!

This award-wining novel is unique in how it connects history to society today. It promotes…

A strong foundation on the Holocaust and opportunities for discussion of many associated events and concepts
Examination of the impact of propaganda, social media, cognitive dissonance and more
Allyship and what it takes to be an upstander against hatred, bigotry, and injustice
Compassion, respect for diversity, community
Critical thinking skills

With short chapters, this novel is excellent for a wide range of reading skill levels, including reluctant readers. Text messages, video chats, headlines, articles, etc. are also included, making this a fascinating, timely window and mirror for readers.

Registration

First 35 teachers registered by Friday Sept. 8^th will receive a copy of the book delivered before the workshop and all participants

Past topics include:

2023 Workshop: The Assignment: Being an Upstander – Liza Wiemer, author
2019 Teacher to Teacher: Strengthening Our Teaching of the Holocaust – Stella Schafer, McCutcheon teacher and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellow
- Teacher Resource List from this workshop including book list recommendations from several local teachers at different grade levels
2018 Dialogue Across Difference – Heather Frazier, Facing History and Ourselves, Presenter
2017 Exploring the Treatment of Refugees through Primary Sources – Dr. Elizabeth R. Osborn, IU Center on Representative Government, Presenter
- Book List and Resource List for teaching about Refugees

Engel Award

In addition to facilitating the Educator Workshop, the Ackerman Center also participates in the GLHRC Planning Committee and supports the Engel award, which is a small grant program to help teachers fund resources or experiences to support teaching about the Holocaust or related ideas such as cultural diversity and civic engagement. See the GLHRC website for current application materials.

Contact the Ackerman Center at (765) 494-4755 or by email at amurphyk@purdue.edu.
Beering Hall 4119 West Lafayette, IN