Maryland Humanities

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Maryland Humanities We create & support educational experiences in the humanities that inspire all Marylanders to embrace lifelong learning.

Maryland Humanities formed in 1973 at the invitation of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Initially known as the Maryland Committee for the Humanities and Public Policy, Maryland Humanities incorporated in 1977 and acted almost exclusively as a grant-making organization for 20 years. Beginning in the early 1990s, Maryland Humanities began to conduct its own public humanities programs, while still awarding grants to support the programming efforts of Maryland institutions and organizations. In 2002, cuts in state funding prompted Maryland Humanities to reach out to the community for foundation, corporation, and individual support. A successful capital campaign allowed Maryland Humanities to relocate its headquarters to Mount Vernon Cultural District in 2005, where the high-profile location provides enhanced visibility for our programming in the vibrant cultural center of Baltimore. In 2006, Maryland Humanities revised its mission statement to reflect its commitment to working with communities, groups, and audiences throughout the state to stimulate and promote informed dialogue and civic engagement on issues critical to Marylanders. Programs such as Practicing Democracy and initiatives like the”Remembrance & Reconciliation: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “Sitting Down to Take a Stand” Rosa Parks programs generated discussion on race in Maryland while commemorating Civil Rights Movement. In 2012 Maryland Humanities embarked on a strategic planning process that resulted in a new mission, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to lifelong learning in the humanities and its power to enrich our lives and communities.

We're excited to partner with the Maryland State Arts Council to produce the 2026-2027 Maryland Poetry Out Loud (POL) pr...
10/14/2026

We're excited to partner with the Maryland State Arts Council to produce the 2026-2027 Maryland Poetry Out Loud (POL) program!

We invite participation from high school teachers, school librarians, librarians, and other community or non-profit leaders who work with teen populations and are interested in hosting a local contest.

We'll be hosting a virtual information session on October 27 on how to host a local competition. This info session will provide teachers and organizers with an overview, tips, and guidance for holding local contests, judging performances, and resources for working with students.

➡️ RSVP for our virtual info session: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FWle6G8PR9KEbnTBGMVTcA #/registration

📢 Registration will close on Sunday, November 15 at 11:59 p.m. Register for POL here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK3jpzoG-5FIvcBSOtM9CZyogepO_vbHd0p1C2UndguhKVwg/viewform

Learn more about POL: https://www.mdhumanities.org/programs/maryland-center-for-the-book/poetry-out-loud/

Our Revolutionary Maryland traveling exhibition is on the move soon! The exhibition will be open for viewing in Worceste...
10/13/2026

Our Revolutionary Maryland traveling exhibition is on the move soon! The exhibition will be open for viewing in Worcester, Prince George's, and Washington Counties.

📍Calvin B. Taylor House Museum
Dates: October 1 – December 19
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday from 10am – 3pm

📍University of Maryland Libraries (McKeldin Library, 4th Floor)
Dates: September 28 – January 4
Hours: https://www.lib.umd.edu/visit/libraries/mckeldin

📍Washington County Free Library
Dates: October 1 – January 5
Hours: Monday to Thursday from 9am – 8pm; Friday from 9am – 6pm

Learn more: https://www.mdhumanities.org/programs/special-initiatives/revolutionary-maryland/

Come see our traveling exhibition, 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘄, as it continues its tour a...
10/10/2026

Come see our traveling exhibition, 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘄, as it continues its tour across the state! Revolutionary Maryland is one element of a multi-pronged project designed to encourage all citizens to think critically about the roles of a free press to self-government in democracy.

The exhibition will be on display at the following locations:

📍University of Maryland Libraries (Prince George's County)
7649 S Library Ln, College Park, MD 20742 (map)

📍Washington County Free Library (Washington County)
100 S Potomac St, Hagerstown, MD 21740

📍Taylor Calvin B. House Museum (Worcester County)
208 N Main St, Berlin, MD 21811 (map)

Local partners will develop their own programming and companion displays to highlight unique stories from their region, so each location offers something different.

Learn more:

A free press supports the very foundation of an American democracy. Protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, freedom of the press is crucial for the functioning of […]

Did you know it's Banned Books Week? 📚Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number...
10/09/2026

Did you know it's Banned Books Week? 📚

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools.

This annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.

The theme of this year’s event is Let Books Be — Protect the Freedom to Read.

🗨 Do you know what the Top 11 most challenged books of 2025 are? Drop a comment below!

10/09/2026
10/08/2026

Join PBS Books and the Library of Congress for book inspired adventure through Maryland in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on October 8th at 8 p.m. ET for the episode premiere on the PBS Books YouTube channel, or watch on the PBS Books

Thank you to our fearless leader, Lindsey Baker, in leading our organization for the past six years. These six years at ...
10/08/2026

Thank you to our fearless leader, Lindsey Baker, in leading our organization for the past six years.

These six years at Maryland Humanities have seen tremendous growth and change, and we couldn't be more grateful for Lindsey's vision and leadership that have carried us to where we are today.

Today is Lindsey's last day with Maryland Humanities. Please join us in wishing her all the best for her next chapter!

October is National Arts & Humanities Month! But here at Maryland Humanities, we celebrate the arts and humanities every...
10/06/2026

October is National Arts & Humanities Month! But here at Maryland Humanities, we celebrate the arts and humanities every single day.

We invite you to experience the arts and humanities with us. Whether as an attendee, a student, a teacher, a grantee, a volunteer, or a donor, join us in the important work of bringing the humanities to life across Maryland!

Learn more about our programs online and visit our events calendar to see how you can get involved! With One Maryland One Book, Poetry Out Loud, Maryland History Day, Regional Humanities Networks, and our Revolutionary Maryland traveling exhibit, there is something for everyone.

Learn more: https://www.mdhumanities.org/

Visit our events calendar: https://www.mdhumanities.org/events/

If you want to help us protect, preserve, and promote the humanities in Maryland, consider making a donation to Maryland Humanities today: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/maryland-humanities-council/donation-form

10/06/2026
10/05/2026

You can still sign up for Maryland's Poetry Out Loud program for the 2026-2027 school year! You have until Sunday, November 15 at 11:59 p.m. to sign up! You can complete the Intent to Participate Form here: https://bit.ly/4jygBdx

Presented in collaboration between Maryland Humanities and the Maryland State Arts Council, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry through recitation competitions for high school students across the country.

Poetry Out Loud is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with participating state and jurisdictional arts agencies and managed by Mid Atlantic Arts.

We invite high school teachers, librarians, and any nonprofit organizations that work with teen audiences to host a Local competition. Students can select poems of their choice from the official POL Anthology compiled by the National Endowment for the Arts and perform them for audiences.

Find more information on our website: https://bit.ly/4ibdZC2

Find the Poetry Out Loud Anthology here: https://bit.ly/4A9xK3o

Pictured below is 2025-26 Maryland State Champion Bella Romero courtesy of National Endowment for the Arts. Credit: James Kegley

Address

3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 320
Baltimore, MD
21211

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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