Federation of State Humanities Councils

10/01/2026

“Culture does not travel according to state lines. Culture travels with the people.” - Nashid Madyun, Florida Humanities

Florida Humanities director Dr. Nashid Madyun: Gulf Coast community radio stations are already connected by culture — his pitch: build a story-sharing network.

09/30/2026

Vermont Humanities is supporting the "Lonely Days Are Gone: Community Square Dance Tour" around Vermont!

This tour is part of Vermont Humanities'" Fall Festival: Our Woven History," which continues through November 14 with nearly 30 events.

Inspired by the state’s long tradition of contra and square dancing, the Lonely Days are Gone tour welcomes neighbors of all ages to connect through live music, participatory dancing, and shared meals. Vermont Humanities awarded the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph a Fall Festival grant to support the tour.

This fall, The Lonely Days Are Gone: Community Square Dance Tour brings free concerts and square dances to historic town halls across Vermont! Inspired by the state's long tradition of contra and square dancing, the tour welcomes neighbors of all ages to connect through live music, participatory dan...

09/29/2026

LISTEN: Hartwell, Georgia, has a story to tell, and on a hot day this spring, the community came together for an entire day dedicated to the stories, sounds, and traditions of this small town of 4,500 people.

In this episode of "By the People: Conversations Beyond 250," the town’s economic development director and the owner of the local blues music venue, High Cotton Music Hall, come together to reflect on the themes of the Porch Songs & Public Voices Festival, what makes Hartwell special (spoiler: it’s the people), how the town came to be a destination for blues lovers, and how culture foster the sense of community that makes the town somewhere people want to live and visit. This heart-warming conversation is moderated by Georgia Humanities' Jen Welborn.

"By the People: Conversations Beyond 250" is a national initiative developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and Smithsonian Folklife.

Hartwell, Georgia, has a story to tell, and on a hot day this spring, the community came together for an entire day dedicated to the stories, sounds, and traditions of this small town of 4,500 people.

09/28/2026

Humanities councils already know how to get preschoolers, kids, teenagers, and adults from every background excited about reading and interpreting literature.

09/23/2026

Thrilled to share that our new podcast, "By the People: Conversations Beyond 250" is now out! Listen to the first three episodes here: https://www.statehumanities.org/bythepeoplepodcast/

Featuring culture-bearers from the following council's By the People programs: Humanities Washington, Wyoming Humanities, Georgia Humanities

Produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

09/23/2026

So excited to share that our new podcast, "By the People: Conversations Beyond 250" is now out! Listen to the first three episodes here: https://www.statehumanities.org/bythepeople/

Featuring culture bearers from these councils' By the People programs: Humanities Washington, Wyoming Humanities, Georgia Humanities

09/23/2026

Check out the Fall 2026 issue of People & Mountains! The West Virginia Humanities Council’s free digital magazine is live at https://wvhumanities.org/

Here is what’s inside:

2026 McCreight Lecture Feature: 3x Pulitzer Prize winner & historian Rick Atkinson speaks Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., at Charleston’s Capitol Theater. (Contact Kyle Warmack at [email protected] or 304-346-8500 for lecture details.)

Traditional Fiber Arts: Enrica McMillon of Elkins breaks down the history of box tape looms (part of the national By the People initiative with the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage).

Appalachian History & Culture: A look into Preston County sportsman/conservationist/writer George Bird Evans and a celebration honoring 2026 National Heritage Fellow Gerry Milnes.

West Virginia Folklife Program

https://wvhumanities.org/

09/22/2026

In 1852, Frederick Douglass took the stand at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, to give the keynote speech at the city’s Independence Day celebrations.

Now, 174 years later, his words and reflections from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” still have an impact.

Incarcerated individuals and staff at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction were joined by representatives from Mass Humanities, a nonprofit supporting programs and resources that promote civics education and discourse, earlier this month for an abridged reading of Douglass’ speech and a reflection on how his messages still hold meaning today.

Franklin County Jail staff and inmates held a reading of Frederick Douglass' famous speech to reflect on justice and historical oppression.

09/21/2026

In 1776, while the American Revolution unfolded on the East Coast, a different kind of revolution was reshaping the American West — a place mapmakers simply labeled "Parts Unknown." BEFORE WYOMING: THE WEST IN 1776 uncovers this forgotten chapter of American history.

You can now watch this incredible new documentary from Wyoming Humanities, Wyoming PBS, and Caldera Productions online. Since it's launch on Friday, the film has already been watched nearly 200,000 times!

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fts5tKjCc_c

As part of our By the People initiative with Smithsonian Folklife, Wyoming Humanities hosted a screening and discussion series for the film at locations around the state.

In an upcoming episode of our "By the People: Conversations Beyond 250" podcast (out Wednesday), we dig into the making of the film and the challenges (and joys) of telling the history of the West and its people in 1776.

Subscribe to the podcast here: https://www.statehumanities.org/bythepeoplepodcast/