Photo credit: Laura Weakly, Center for Digital Research in the Humanities.
The digital humanities project “Nebraska Stories of Humanity: Holocaust Survivors and World War II Veterans,” launched in 2022, has received additional funding.
Led by Dr. Beth Dotan of the Harris Center for Judaic Studies, in collaboration with the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, the project features the stories of five Nebraskans who either survived the Holocaust or helped to liberate concentration camps and went on to share their experiences.
The Cooper Foundation has provided $10,000 to support the capacity and digital expansion of the website. Since 1934, the foundation has made grants supporting the arts, civic and community engagement, education, environment, the humanities, and human services primarily in Lincoln and Lancaster County.
"Cooper was very instrumental in encouraging our expanded community stakeholder development," Dotan said. "Their board and primary staff have attended events directly and indirectly connected to our research project."
An additional $25,000 is coming from the Library of Congress, Teaching Primary Sources Midwest Region Grant. The funding will be used for further development of the website and formal professional development with Nebraska educators and other organizations guiding secondary school Holocaust education. Since the passing of Nebraska Law 79-760.01, which mandates Holocaust and genocide education, Dotan said the center has been working with the Nebraska Department of Education and others to ensure that teachers are knowledgeable about accessing the website materials.
Photos below: Taken in McCook, Nebraska by Dr. Beth Dotan at the home of US soldier in the 45th division, Melvin Theilbar's daughter Pam Messinger
