The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC) has a longstanding and rich collection of artifacts related to the Holocaust and other civil rights issues. Historically, these artifacts have been stored away, taken out on occasion for visitors. Last year we began to archive these valuable objects, assigning them each a number and category. We have determined that obtaining preservation tools and protective display cases will help us use them more frequently in conjunction with our school and community presentations—and we have begun to display them in cases around the Michael Klahr Center for our visitors to observe without fear of causing damage to the artifacts.
We will showcase the displayed items on our website where teachers and students can see images and short descriptions for school projects and classroom learning. This will enable schools across Maine to connect with the archives, even those too far away to visit. We want to take a moment and thank those of you in the HHRC Community who entrusted us with your families’ valuable possessions. These historic treasures help us to tell the stories of your loved ones who survived the Holocaust and the civil unrest that predated many of us here in Maine.