The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust is a secular, non-partisan state-agency administratively attached to the Georgia Board of Regents. 

The Commission was established by Executive Order by Joe Frank Harris in 1986. Governor Zell Miller re-established the Commission upon taking office and charged it with creating education programs for the citizens. Then in 1998 by act of the Georgia General Assembly the Commission became a permanent state agency (HB 1664).

The Commission consists of fifteen members appointed equally by the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House.

Our Mission

The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust strives to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and promote public understanding of the history. It ensures that learning how and why the Holocaust happened is an important part of the education of Georgia citizens. It encourages reflection upon the moral questions raised by this unprecedented event and the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.

Vision

Shaping the future by teaching the citizens of Georgia about the history, memory and lessons of the Holocaust

Core Values

  • Holocaust education addresses one of the central mandates of education in the United States, which is to examine what it means to be a responsible citizen.
  • Democratic institutions and values are not automatically sustained, but need to be appreciated, nurtured and protected.
  • Appropriate responses to the suffering of others or the infringement of civil rights in our society must be taught and encouraged.
  • The Holocaust happened because individuals, organizations and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination but also allowed prejudice, hatred and ultimately mass murder to occur.
  • Preserving the memory of the Holocaust is not enough – Holocaust education leads to informed decision making and appropriate action to recognize and confront threats to human rights including intolerance, antisemitism, racism and ignorance.