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East County News ServiceMarch 19, 2026 (El Cajon) -- The Grossmont College Library was selected as one of only 50 libraries across the United States to host the traveling exhibition “Americans and the Holocaust.”
Americans and the Holocaust is a collaborative effort between the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association. Locals will be able to visit the exhibition from April 14 through May 21, 2026 at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon.
This is the exhibition's second national tour, and follows a successful run at 50 libraries between 2021-23. Because of its popularity, the USHMM and ALA expanded the initiative to an additional 50 sites for a 2024-26 cycle, reaching communities from Hawaii and Alaska to Texas and New Hampshire.
The local iteration of the exhibit is supported by a dedicated advisory committee, chaired by Ammar Campa-Najjar and including local leaders Yehudi Gaffen, Dr. Franklin Gaylis, Eli Landau, David Ogul, Darren Schwartz and Erica Whinston.
The initiative also draws on regional support from organizations including The Butterfly Project; Combat Antisemitism Now; the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges; Gafcon, Inc.; the Jewish Community Foundation; and Legacy of Light.
Reexamining history through a domestic lens
Spanning 1,100 square feet, the exhibition is based on the permanent gallery of the same name at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Rather than focusing solely on European events, it turns the mirror back on the U.S., examining the motives, pressures and fears that shaped the American response to Nazism, war and genocide during the 1930s and '40s.
Through a meticulous collection of primary sources, the display challenges the persistent myth that Americans were unaware of or indifferent to the persecution and murder of European Jews as it unfolded.
It provides a nuanced portrait of a society grappling with the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism, all of which heavily influenced how the government, the military, the media and refugee organizations responded to the crisis.
Grossmont College Interim President Dr. Pamela Luster encouraged community members to visit the Grossmont campus "and engage with this moment in history that is still deeply relevant today.”
“We’re honored to bring ‘Americans and the Holocaust’ to Grossmont College so that our students and our San Diego East County community can experience this powerful exhibit,” Luster said.
To supplement the physical exhibition, the Grossmont College Library received a $3,000 cash grant to fund a series of free public programs. This grant also facilitated specialized training, covering the attendance of a library staff member at a dedicated orientation workshop at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C.
More events surrounding the exhibition
The library has curated an extensive schedule of local events designed to deepen the community’s engagement with the exhibition’s themes, including:
- Survivor Testimony: A featured presentation by Lou Pechi, one of San Diego’s most prominent Holocaust survivors;
- Academic Lectures: Presentations by renowned historians and scholars;
- Cultural Events: Author talks, poetry readings, and film screenings;
- Performances: Artistic reflections on the history of the 1930s and '40s.
The national tour is made possible by lead sponsors Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine, with additional major funding provided by the Bildner Family (Joan and Allen, Elisa Spungen and Rob, Nancy and Jim) and Jane and Daniel Och.
Ongoing support for the Museum’s traveling exhibitions is provided by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund.
The Americans And The Holocaust Exhibit Project Director at Grossmont College is Nadra Farina-Hess.
Detailed schedules and digital resources can be found here. To learn more about the national exhibition, visit ushmm.org/americans-ala.
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