Sam Harris, founder and longtime public face of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie, has died at 90. A child survivor who spent decades sharing his story with students, civic groups, and lawmakers, Harris helped turn searing personal memory into a cornerstone institution for education and remembrance. Museum officials said memorial arrangements are still being finalized.
From Szlamek Rzeznik To Sam Harris
Born Szlamek Rzeznik in Dęblin, Poland, in 1935, Harris survived the ghetto and Nazi camps as a small child while most of his family was deported to Treblinka, according to the survivor profile from the Illinois Holocaust Museum. When he arrived in New York after the war, he knew just three English words: "yes," "no" and "Coca-Cola." He was later adopted by the Harris family of Northbrook and eventually settled in the Chicago area.
Leaders Remember A 'Visionary'
Museum CEO Bernard Cherkasov described Harris as "a visionary who saw the need for the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center" and said his "kindness, positive attitude, and winning smile will be deeply missed," as reported by NBC 5 Chicago. The outlet also noted that Governor J.B. Pritzker wrote he was heartbroken by the loss and that Harris's "spirit will continue to live on in the lives that he touched."
A Voice Preserved For Future Visitors
Harris was among the survivors recorded for the USC Shoah Foundation's "Dimensions in Testimony" program, which captures hours of testimony and uses natural-language processing so visitors can pose questions to prerecorded survivors, according to the USC Shoah Foundation. The project relies on extensive filmed answers and a Pepper's ghost-style installation so museum audiences can experience what feels like a live conversation.
In an "In Memoriam" post on its website, the museum wrote, "It is with profound sadness and deep love that we share the passing of Samuel R. Harris, one of the youngest known survivors of the Holocaust." The institution noted that Harris served as the museum's president and later as president emeritus, helping guide construction of the 65,000-square-foot Skokie campus. The museum added that it remains active in public programs and education while the Skokie facility is under renovation.
Encouraged by his rabbi, Harris began speaking publicly about his experiences in the 1970s and later wrote the memoir "Sammy: Child Survivor of the Holocaust." In a 2024 interview, he told NBC 5 Chicago, "Silence is a killer and we have to speak out," a line that came to define decades of testimony and activism against rising antisemitism in the Chicago area.
What His Death Means For Chicago
Harris leaves behind a legacy as both a teacher and an institution-builder. The Illinois Holocaust Museum is continuing to expand its programs and, amid Skokie renovations, is presenting its downtown "Experience 360" pop-up that brings survivor testimony into the Loop. For many across the Chicago area, Harris's life showed how first-hand witness can be transformed into lasting public memory.
