The Emergence of Holocaust Education in American Schools

Interest by American educators in the Holocaust has increased exponentially during the second half of the twentieth century. In 1960 the Holocaust was barely being addressed in American public schools. Yet by the 1990s several states had mandated the teaching of the event. Drawing upon a variety of sources including unpublished works and interviews, this study traces the rise of genocide education in America. The author demonstrates how the genesis of this movement can be attributed to a grassroots effort initiated by several teachers, who introduced the topic as a way to help their students navigate the moral and ethical ambiguity of the times.