In memory of the Holocaust and all that died tragic deaths, survivors of this tragedy built the Holocaust Memorial in Miami, FL in 1984. They wanted a permanent means of honoring and paying respect to the six million Jewish Holocaust victims.
In 1985, a non-profit organization called the Holocaust Memorial Committee was created to get a site for the memorial as well as a permanent committee so they would always know who would be in charge of keeping this organization and memorial going as well as determining means of getting financial assistance for the project. Miami Beach was determined as the best site and in February 1990 the dedication for the Holocaust Memorial was made and it was opened to the public. The committee is constantly trying to encourage educational and cultural programs for the area to keep this memorial going for generations in the future.
Some aspects of the memorial that have the largest impact on the public are the sculptures of some of the people involved in the Holocaust. The sculptures are slowing designed in wax and then finished in patina for a lasting finish. One of the first sculptures designed was of a mother and her two children, with fear shown on their faces. If the memorial doesn't get to you on a personal level, the sculpture definitely will. Other sculptures include children trying to escape and one of a large hand reaching from the earth. Each sculpture has its own meaning and interpretation depending on the viewer.
Tours of the memorial are given too many classrooms as a way to educate the students about the Holocaust and allow them first hand looks at what it meant to the country and its people. For those interested, there are also lectures given on a somewhat regular basis.
