Charlotte, NC – On July 24-29, educators from across North Carolina are taking part in a program in Charlotte to support teaching the Holocaust and and human rights. Titled “Defying the ‘Single Story’: Resistance, Holocaust, and Human Rights in the Classroom, the seminar takes place at a time when extremism and hate crimes against minorities are on the rise in the US.

The seminar in Charlotte is hosted by The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI.us), which was established to educate teachers in the United States and Europe about human rights and social justice through the lens of the Holocaust and other genocides so that such atrocities may never again take place. The seminar in Charlotte brings together teachers from across the Carolinas to explore the many facts of the overarching theme of resistance. It focuses on acts of resistance through the lenses of Holocaust partisans and resisters, Native Peoples and Civil Rights activists.

Donna Tarney, the Education Coordinator at The Stan Greenspon Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosts the seminar with Alexander (Sandy) Pope, an Associate Professor of social studies education at Salisbury University and leader in civic engagement. Donna taught history, Government and Holocaust studies at Charlotte Catholic High School for 14 years. Pope has taught about the Holocaust and human rights at the elementary, secondary, and college levels, and completed fellowships at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and with TOLI.

The seminar in Charlotte features speaker presentations, field trips, and visits from scholars designed to allow educators to engage more deeply with these challenging topics. Participants will leave with new ways of thinking and teaching about the Holocaust, indigenous peoples, and human rights. The seminar is open to educators of all levels—from mid-elementary grades through college. It is also sponsored by the Blumenthal Foundation.

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For further information contact:

Wendy Warren: wwarren@tolinstitute.org
Stephanie Stark:  sgstark@tolinstitute.org