Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

78 | AUGUST 26 • 2021 

The Bold Vision of
Dr. Sidney Bolkosky
I

n August 1981, Dr. Sidney Bolkosky, profes-
sor of history at the University of Michigan-
Dearborn (UM-D), conducted an interview 
with Salvatore and Lily Katan, Detroit-area survi-
vors of the Holocaust. This was just the beginning 
of a wonderful project.
Over the years, Bolkosky inter-
viewed nearly 300 Holocaust survi-
vors. These interviews became the 
Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor 
Oral History Archive, a collection 
at the Mardigian Library at UM-D. 
As its website states: “This archive 
represents a guarantee of honest 
presentation — unembroidered, 
without dramatization, a scholarly yet austerely 
moving collection of information and insight,
” 
and that “the Voice/Vision Archive is made to be 
used.
” In this respect, most of the interviews are 
now online.
Dr. Sidney Bolkosky (1944-2013) was born and 
raised in Rochester, N.Y., the son of Jewish immi-
grants. He earned a B.A. from the University of 
Rochester, an M.A. from Wayne State University, 
and a Ph.D. from SUNY-Binghamton. In 1972, 
Bolkosky returned to Michigan for a position at 
UM-D, where he made a distinguished career 
over the next 40 years, including receiving numer-
ous awards for teaching as well as establishing the 
Voice/Vision Archive. Among his many publi-
cations was a first-rate history of Detroit’s Jewish 
community in 1991, Harmony and Dissonance: 
Voices of Jewish Identity in Detroit, 1914-1967.
Bolkosky did not believe he had any relatives 
in the Holocaust. Despite no direct connection to 
the Shoah, however, Bolkosky developed a keen 
interest in the subject. He constructed a course on 
the Holocaust with two teachers from Oakland 
County in 1978 and began his interviews with 
survivors in 1981. At that time, Bolkosky was on 
the cusp of a surge of popular and scholarly inter-
est in the Holocaust, and he was a pioneer in col-
lecting oral histories of survivors. Bolkosky retired 
from UM-D in 2012. 
Dr. Jamie Wraight, Bolkosky’s successor 
and current director of Voice/Vision Archive, 
described Bolkosky’s legacy: “It was Sid’s ability 

to let the survivors tell their stories at a pivotal 
point in their lives, as well as a pivotal point in 
the history of Holocaust memory, that makes 
the interviews in the archive so important 
and unique. The survivors were ready to talk, 
and Sid was there to listen. As I look back 
now at the interviews that Sid Bolkosky 
conducted over 
the span of nearly 
40 years, I’m always 
kind of blown away 
by how important 
his effort to collect 
these stories was.
”
Bolkosky left the 
Voice/Vision Archive 
in good hands. Dr. 
Wraight was first hired 
as a part-time curator 
for the collection in 
2000 and, subsequently, 
worked with Bolkosky 
for many years. Upon 
Bolkosky’s retirement, 
Wraight became direc-
tor of the Voice/Vision 
Archive. In addition, he 
also teaches about the 
Holocaust at UM-D, as well 
as courses on modern and 
ancient history, and has lec-
tured on the subject around 
the nation. 
Sidenote: We are grateful that Wraight, with 
the support of Dr. Martin Hershock, dean of the 
College of Arts, Sciences and Letters, partnered 
with the Detroit Jewish News Foundation in 
January 2020 to display the Foundation’s exhib-
it, “The Holocaust Unfolds,
” at the Mardigian 
Library. 
Dr. Bolkosky’s first interview 40 years ago led 
to a significant legacy at UM-D. The Voice/Vision 
Archive is one of the most important collections 
of survivor oral histories in the world. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, 
available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

to let the survivors tell their stories at a pivotal 
point in their lives, as well as a pivotal point in 
the history of Holocaust memory, that makes 

and unique. The survivors were ready to talk, 

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

now at the interviews that Sid Bolkosky 

Voice/Vision Archive 

Wraight was first hired 
as a part-time curator 

2000 and, subsequently, 
worked with Bolkosky 
for many years. Upon 
Bolkosky’s retirement, 
Wraight became direc-
tor of the Voice/Vision 
Archive. In addition, he 
also teaches about the 
Holocaust at UM-D, as well 
as courses on modern and 
ancient history, and has lec-
tured on the subject around 

to a significant legacy at UM-D. The Voice/Vision