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Traveling Exhibit Connects Anne Frank's Life to the Present

By Stacey Ortman

DUBUQUE, Iowa - "Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank" traveling exhibit will be at the University of Dubuque from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, 2022, through Saturday, March 19, 2022, in the Multicultural Student Center, Peter and Susan Smith Welcome Center.

The traveling exhibit, hosted by the Department of Teacher Education and Office of Multicultural Student Engagement, is free and open to the public. It was made available to communities throughout the state of Iowa by the University of Iowa Provost's Global Forum.

"Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank" was designed and produced by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and distributed throughout the United States by the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina. The traveling exhibit chronicles Anne Frank's life from her birth in Frankfurt, Germany, on June 12, 1929, to her death in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in 1945. One third of the exhibit is dedicated to the stories of young people today, connecting Anne Frank's story with the present.

Through the life and legacy of Anne Frank, visitors to the traveling exhibit that includes 32 panels will be encouraged to consider how prejudice can lead to exclusion and discrimination even in our world today.

"Anne Frank's story is relevant to what is happening in our world right now. As teachers, we know that building connections between the past and present facilitates authentic learning, and it is in these highly teachable moments that we can truly consider history's influence on our lives. This exhibit is unique in that it offers our preservice teachers an opportunity to interact with Anne's story, bring it to life for others, and, amid this learning, encourage the recognition and celebration of differences," said Jeffrey Haverland, EdD, associate professor of teacher education.

Guided tours of "Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank" will be facilitated by UD students Alivia Auer, a junior math in secondary education and mathematics double major; April Freihage, a junior elementary education major; Darby Hawtrey, a senior elementary education major with a coaching endorsement; and Sammi Tolnai, a junior elementary education major.

"I wanted to take this opportunity to be a tour guide because I have always been fascinated with this part of history and I thought it would be a great chance to tie in my enthusiasm for teaching with my interest in Anne's story. This exhibit is important because it tells Anne Frank's story in a way that encourages discussing and thinking about this part of history and her story with a more personalized connection. The exhibit also brings in the idea of differences between others and why it is important to embrace the differences rather than label people or create prejudices," Freihage said.

"Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank" Tour Schedule

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

9:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
10:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
11:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
Noon - Self-Guided Tour
1:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
2:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
3:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
4:00 p.m. - Guided Tour

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

9:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
10:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
11:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
Noon - Self-Guided Tour
1:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
2:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
3:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
4:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour

Thursday, March 17, 2022

9:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
10:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
11:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
Noon - Self-Guided Tour
1:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
2:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
3:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
4:00 p.m. - Guided Tour

Friday, March 18, 2022

9:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
10:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
11:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
Noon - Self-Guided Tour
1:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
2:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
3:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour
4:00 p.m. - Self-Guided Tour

Saturday, March 19, 2022

9:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
10:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
11:00 a.m. - Guided Tour
Noon - Exhibit Closed
1:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
2:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
3:00 p.m. - Guided Tour
4:00 p.m. - Guided Tour

Please note: Guided tours start on the hour.