​We recently received a small collection of items related to WWII that the donor’s relative had picked up overseas while fighting in WWII. Known to collectors as "militaria", the donation included several pins and medals, a belt buckle, and an army green coat- along with a Nazi Armband and oversized Nazi flag. Except for the coat, which was worn by the donor’s relative while fighting for the US in the war, all the other items were Nazi items, emblazoned with the swastika, eagle and other related symbols of the Nazis and organizations that worked within the Nazi regime.

Hanging onto items and displaying items from difficult, dark, and menacing points in personal, local or international history allows us to tell the stories and share the lessons learned from those time periods. It’s understandable that many people view display items as items to be viewed positively, or even venerate- after all, in most contexts we put on display the things we want people to appreciate.  Large, elaborate churches for example are displays built to inspire a self-diminishing feeling against the grandeur presented. This translates over to more secularized institutions, which you can see in the photos below. Notice how statues upon pedestals, and artwork hangs high on the walls making the subjects larger than life, in buildings that tower above, making the viewer feel smaller and insignificant. 

Hanging onto the Nazi items and presenting them in a contextualized way can tell incredibly important stories- of how the regime came to power democratically and then influenced sections of the population to agree or fall silent, leading to unspeakable atrocities-and how it was something that very well could happen again if we don’t remember the warnings from the past.  They can also tell us the stories of the people most affected by the political climate of the time and the very real effects of ideologies on the actions of people. Conscious, contextualized displays can create spaces for memorials-for those lost and the worldwide effects that rippled outwards from the decisions and bias of a privileged few. 

One of the museum's ongoing projects is to digitize our existing photo collection. While it can be a tedious task, it is also incredibly interesting and entertaining.

​These photos allow us to glimpse back in time when things were different- but in some ways, are very much the same. Such as the dreaded class picture that, no matter what, someone is always ​looking the wrong way.

There are also photos that leave me with many questions that, due to the passage of time, may not ever be answered. 

They remind us of past fashion trends, such as boys wearing dresses from a young age.

They reveal the grandeur of the past... and the homes of people that provided much of the manpower needed to build California into the place it is today.

They remind us of what it's like to grow up, when times seem more simple and kids can be kids.

They show us things that have changed- and help us to see that some things have not.