Museum Statement on 2024 Days of Remembrance

WASHINGTON, DC — In 1980, through a unanimous act of Congress, our nation made a bipartisan commitment to Holocaust memory by mandating that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum lead the country in an annual commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust, the Days of Remembrance. (This year’s Days of Remembrance will be held from Sunday, May 5, through Sunday, May 12.) There was a shared national understanding that the Holocaust was a pivotal event for all of humanity, including the United States, given our history and unique responsibilities. American soldiers bravely fought to defeat Nazism and preserve our democracy, and many Holocaust survivors rebuilt their lives in the US. The Holocaust teaches lessons about the fragility of democracy and our own nation’s failures to accept more desperate Jewish refugees to our shores.  

“Across four decades, Holocaust remembrance observances have been held annually in the US Capitol, by state and local governments, federal agencies, the military, educational institutions, and many others. Holocaust remembrance has become a national commitment, reflecting American history and values,” Museum Chairman Stuart E. Eizenstat said. “However, in recent weeks and around International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, some individuals have outrageously attempted to thwart this tradition, disrupting planning for these ceremonies by harassing and verbally abusing officials, community members, and even Holocaust survivors. These contemptible acts, part of an alarming eruption of antisemitism since the Hamas terror attack against Israel, are shameful and totally antithetical to our nation’s values and commitment to Holocaust memory. Holocaust commemorations are a time to remember, reflect, and rededicate ourselves to our shared humanity.” 

“My immediate family survived the Holocaust only because we were able to flee to other countries and find helpers who hid us. The rest of our family and our entire community were destroyed," said Arye Ephrath, Holocaust survivor and Museum volunteer. “Not a day since liberation goes by that I do not think of them and all the six million Jewish men, women and children killed solely for being Jews. That’s why the Days of Remembrance are especially meaningful. It is my hope and the hope of all survivors that people will remember our families and reflect on the dangers of antisemitism and all forms of hate, and the importance of taking action to confront them. These lessons of the past are urgently needed now.” 

A nonpartisan federal, educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. To learn more visit ushmm.org.