CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – An APSU graduate’s studies led him to discover a secret in his family’s past and inspired him to form his own organization to educate people on Holocaust history.
In 1905, Shawn Harding’s great-great grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Poland/Ukraine with their Catholic family, bringing with them little to nothing. It was not until 2017 at Austin Peay State University that Harding would learn their secret. They were not Catholic.
His family had fled Eastern Europe, changing their identity, to escape the persecution of Jewish people in the region.
This discovery led Harding to search for family members still living in Eastern Europe. Sadly, his months of research revealed that many of the Polish and Ukrainian members of his bloodline had disappeared in the 1940’s, presumably the victims of concentration camps.
The discovery inspired Harding to create a research website called The Holocaust Blueprint. The website provides an interactive map of Holocaust sites throughout Europe, the locations and titles of Holocaust memoirs, and educational resources for the period.
“I went through and documented every location of the ghettos in German-occupied Poland and other countries in Europe, so students and professors can use this resource for free,” said Harding.
Harding has since traveled to Poland and Kraków, studying with some of Europe’s top Holocaust professors and researching community leadership within Jewish ghettos.
As a graduate, Harding is continuing his research and writing about the Holocaust as a blogger for The Times of Israel. He has expressed interest in pursuing a law degree with a focus in international human rights. He credits his alma mater with giving him the freedom to pursue his passion.