The Armenian Genocide, One Family’s Story

Guest ContributorApril 18, 2025Last Updated: April 18, 2025

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Left to Right: Mary, Arek, Rose, Moses, Pau;, Sosie, circa 1936

The Armenian Genocide, One Family’s Story (“OFS”) exhibit will conclude a four-university tour in May of this year. The widely acclaimed exhibit, originally presented at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey, provides an educational platform to students interested in studying the Armenian Genocide and broader genocide and human rights issues.

OFS celebrates rich cultural traditions, featuring original works of art, antique musical instruments and tributes to Western Armenian language and literature. In tracing the life story of genocide survivors Arek and Movses Zakarian, who settled in the Philadelphia area, the exhibit speaks to the struggle of overcoming tragedy and displacement—universal to the Armenian American diaspora experience. It does not just look back, however, but also carries us into the present day lives of survivor-descendants.

While touring the exhibit, one may reflect on the compelling art of Mary Zakarian, the daughter of Arek and Movses, dating from the 1950s forward. In addition, OFS includes major contributions from Zakarian grandchildren Susan Arpajian Jolley and Allan Arpajian, members of the exhibit team and authors of the 2017 book, Out of My Great Sorrows: The Armenian Genocide and Artist Mary Zakarian.

Thousands of high school and college students have toured the exhibit since it was launched in 2022, engaging with a timeline of the lives of Arek and Moses Zakarian within the framework of current Armenian Genocide scholarship in an active learning experience. As described by Delran High School, New Jersey, Genocide Studies teacher, Caitlin Como, OFS offers students the opportunity to see “tangible items and stories of Armenian life…before, during and after” the genocide and brings “every lesson full circle” for students. In so doing, the exhibit also reinforces our common humanity and the shared experiences of all who have endured genocide or other mass atrocities.

For more information on The Armenian Genocide, One Family’s Story, see the exhibit video produced by Stockton University at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi0DeHz7y7A.