Afghan refugees featured in new exhibition at the History Museum in Appleton
APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – In 2021, American-allied Afghans made new homes in the Fox Valley, and now, their harrowing experiences are featured in a personal new exhibition, Our Afghan Neighbors.
World Relief Wisconsin Fox Valley and the History Museum at the Castle partnered to make the exhibition possible.
World Relief is one of the ten non-profit refugee resettlement agencies that has a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of State to help refugees and immigrants rebuild their lives in the United States.
They were able to place 181 Afghan evacuees in the Fox Cities.
Staff from World Relief and the History Museum then worked together, conducting oral history interviews with eight of the new arrivals. Their stories and chilling accounts of escaping Afghanistan are the basis for the personal exhibition.
A significant objective of Our Afghan Neighbors is to help integrate Afghan refugees into the local community.
Nou Huse, Site Director for World Relief Fox Valley, said, “It is important that we hear these stories directly from the Afghan community to maintain their dignity and humanize news headlines that are often so impersonal.”
The Afghans interviewed for the exhibit challenged the stereotypical image of Afghanistan depicted in the news. They were eager to share their rich history, culture, and individual accounts with their adopted community.
“National affairs and international events make an impact locally,” said the History Museum’s Executive Director Matt Carpenter. “The oral history interviews and exhibition capture local history and document its relevance in a global context.”
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The stories of the Afghan arrivals become part of Fox Valley history like Hmong, Somali, and other refugee communities that have also been resettled in the Fox Cities.
The History Museum at the Castle is located at 330 E. College Ave. and is open daily, except Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $7.50 for children.
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