Cambodians in Amherst: A History of the Khmer Community

In the aftermath of the Viet Nam War, the communist party in Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge, began a systemized slaughter of the nation’s elite to force a return to a purely agricultural peasant economy. Those who could fled to Thailand and sought refuge in camps established by the United Nations. In the 1980s, many refugees were settled in the United States, including in Amherst.  In 2022, the Amherst Historical Society began planning for an exhibition that would highlight the Khmer Community in Amherst. The exhibition featured numerous photographs, text panels, and historical objects that were supplemented by interviews with the community’s elders. Since the exhibition closed in 2024, portions of it have traveled to the Boston State House and the Frost Library at Amherst College. Georgia Barnhill, president of the Historical Society, will discuss how the project came to fruition and the materials displayed in the exhibition. Presented by Georgia Barnhill, former curator of graphic arts and director, Center for Historic Visual Culture at the American Antiquarian Society Join us in-person or online! If you plan to attend in person at the Museums, tickets are available on the day of the lecture in the Welcome Center. Members: FREE Springfield residents: $4 Nonmembers: $4 To attend via ZOOM, please register in advance. Online Registration