Ackerman Chronicle

The Ackerman Center’s mission at The University of Texas at Dallas is “Teaching the Past, Changing the Future.” The Holocaust showed the world how centuries of anti-Semitic beliefs passed from generation to generation ultimately culminated in the systematic slaughter of more than six million Jewish men, women, and children. Sadly, however, we have once again been reminded that such hatred did not end there. The events this weekend at Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX are only one of many recent targeted attacks against Jews. We condemn in the strongest terms the intentional targeting of this synagogue by someone whose long history of anti-Jewish rhetoric and the calculated timing of the attack with Shabbat leaves little doubt as to the perpetrator's motivation. While we are grateful that all hostages were able to escape unharmed, we want to reiterate the pleas of many from across the globe to recognize this for what it was: an attack against Jews in their place of worship. Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was amongst those taken hostage, shared words from the hostage-taker that echoed age-old stereotypes about Jews: “This was somebody who literally thought that Jews control the world…He thought he could come into a synagogue, and we could get on the phone with the ‘Chief Rabbi of America’ and he would get what he needed.” We teach against such anti-Semitic tropes to engage with the past in an effort to combat the promulgation of such ideology and Jew-hatred. We echo President Richard Benson’s statement, “We at UT Dallas, recommit to providing a safe, welcoming environment to all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.”

Please mark your calendars and join us for the following events. Stay tuned for more information or check our Upcoming Events webpage as we are in the process of scheduling additional events and will be adding details as they are finalized.

February 6-7, 2022
The Visual Cultures of Race and Science Symposium

"The Visual Cultures of Race and Science" is a special two-day event sponsored by the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, UT Dallas School of Arts and Humanities, and the Edith O'Donnell Institute of Art History. (Learn more by clicking on the thumbnail image to the right.)

Day 1: February 6th at 2 pm CST via Zoom (click here to register)
Public Symposium with Q&A

Day 2: February 7th at 4 pm CST virtually and in-person (hybrid)
Graduate Student Workshop

Speakers:

• Anna Arabindan-Kesson
  Assistant Professor of African American and Black Diasporic Art
  Princeton University
• Duana Fullwiley
  Associate Professor of Anthropology
  Stanford University
• Linda Kim
  Associate Professor of Art History
  Drexel University
  Philadelphia
• Eben Kirksey
  Associate Professor of Anthropology
  Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
• Myrna Perez Sheldon
  Assistant Professor of Gender and American Religion
  Ohio University

Click here to register for the Public Symposium being held virtually on Sunday, February 6th.

Graduate students who wish to attend this workshop may do so either virtually or in person. Contact Cynthia.rogers@utdallas.edu to register.

Eighty years ago, a group of senior Nazi officials met outside of Berlin to discuss the implementation of the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" - the euphemistic name given to the planned systematic annihilation of the Jews across Europe. This year's annual Spring Lecture Series will discuss the history, representation, and memorialization of this important moment in the history of the Holocaust.

All three lectures are currently planned to be in-person on the UT Dallas campus, and lecture titles and locations will be announced soon. Click the thumbnail to the right to learn more.

March 5-7, 2022
52nd Annual Scholars' Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches

April 3-4, 2022
Burton C. Einspruch Holocaust Lecture Series

More details to soon be released.

The Ackerman Center Podcast provides a space for thoughtful and in-depth conversation about the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights studies. Launched in 2020 by a team of dedicated faculty and research assistants, this podcast works to extend the conversation beyond academic audiences—providing an educational, engaging, and transformative experience. Through confronting the past, we work to promote solutions for global justice and peace in our world.

You can listen to the Ackerman Center Podcast by clicking here or on the thumbnail image to the right.

Fulfilling our mission is made possible because of the generosity of our supporters like you.

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift online by clicking here.

Cynthia Seton-Rogers, Academic and Outreach Events Manager