A national project aims to renew interest in how local communities received and discussed news about the Holocaust, the genocide of six million Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II.
History professor Adam Blackler has brought the “History Unfolded” project into the classroom at the University of Wyoming to explore how Americans sought and interpreted information during WWII.
“This project is so important to gain a more holistic perspective on what the Holocaust and its history really entailed, but also to show if people really were aware of what was happening in Germany,” said Blackler. “Many of the articles that my classes and people in Wyoming have found showcases that people were veryaware of what was really happening in Germany, long before a second world war began.”
This effort began in 2016 through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. with the exhibit “Americans and the Holocaust” and has since expanded through academic and other circles.
The goal of History Unfolded is to urge residents of small towns in a variety of states to look through local newspapers printed in the years leading up to and during the war. Residents are asked to send in articles including anything about the Holocaust, Nazi Germany or persecution happening in other areas of Europe.
In addition to gathering this material for the museum, the project aims to spark interest in local history and how American communities perceived the war.
“It’s also just to inform people in their own communities how much they actually knew,” said Blackler. “Let’s face it, local history is very interesting, especially to people from the communities, and that sometimes is more important than the big national narratives that we always hear about.”
Blackler became involved with this program early in his teaching career at UW last year while attending a conference in Washington D.C. Many people associated with History Unfolded were in attendance and approached Blackler about bringing this project to the University of Wyoming campus.
At that time Wyoming ranked 50th in the amount it contributed to the project, but has since moved up to 43rd with help from Blackler and his classes.
As of April 1 this year 3,377 participants throughout the country have submitted more than 24,400 articles from their local newspapers, according to the History Unfolded website.
“The fact that the Holocaust still happened, the fact that the United States did not get involved until later, the fact that horrific acts of prejudice and violence were occurring here as well presents not just a more holistic portrayal of this history but also showcases how the same dangerous potentials that existed in Germany that made the Nazis possible also existed in the United States,” said Blackler.
For more information on History Unfolded or how to get involved visit Newspapers.ushmm.org or contact Dr. Blackler at ablackle@uwyo.edu.
