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West Virginia Humanities Council

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West Virginia Humanities Council

The Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that serves as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The West Virginia Humanities Council is a nonprofit organization governed by its Board of Directors. Our mission is to promote a vigorous program in the humanities statewide in West Virginia. Council headquarters are located in the 1836 MacFarland-Hubbard House in Charleston. You may contact us there Monday through Friday from 9:00 until 5:00 p.m. Council staff cannot be held responsible for the a

ccuracy or reliability of comments posted by the public. We reserve the right to remove comments we deem objectionable or inappropriate, and to ban users who post such comments repeatedly.

08/21/2026

Wishing fiddler and folklorist Gerry Milnes of Elkins, West Virginia, a very happy 80th birthday today! This year, he became only the seventh West Virginian to be honored by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow, the nation's highest honor in folk and traditional arts. He was also this year's sole recipient of the Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Fellowship, which honors significant contributions to the excellence, vitality, and public appreciation of the folk and traditional arts.

You can read more about him in our digital magazine, People & Mountains: https://wvhumanities.org/media-library/people-mountains/people-mountains/

08/13/2026

Today, August 13, 2026, marks 50 years since the death of Jessie Maynard (pictured at right), widow of two pivotal figures in West Virginia’s Mine Wars: Matewan Mayor Cabell Testerman and police chief Sid Hatfield.

Shortly after Testerman was killed during the Matewan shootout on May 19, 1920, Jessie married Hatfield. Hatfield was assassinated alongside Ed Chambers on the steps of the McDowell County Courthouse in Welch on August 1, 1921. These murders set off a chain of events that culminated in thousands of armed miners marching on Logan County and the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Jessie’s troubled life continued long after the Mine Wars, although she eventually settled in Lawrence County, Ohio, where she lived the rest of her life.

This October 1921 photograph shows the widows Sallie Chambers and Jessie Maynard Testerman Hatfield in Washington, D.C., where they testified before a congressional subcommittee investigating violence in the southern West Virginia coalfields.

For more information, visit e-WV: https://wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2421

West Virginia Mine Wars Museum

08/11/2026

We would like to wish John Ellison a very happy 85th birthday today! Born near Montgomery (Fayette County) on August 11, 1941, and raised in poverty in McDowell County, Ellison is the singer-songwriter behind the classic “Some Kind of Wonderful” and many other great songs. Ellison’s song is an enduring hit recorded by artists around the world, most notably Grand Funk Railroad.

To learn more about him, check out this entry in E-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia: https://wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2491

Photo by Michael Keller.

07/29/2026

Applications are due September 18, 2026 for the 2026-27 program.

07/18/2026

Our Board of Directors and staff enjoyed meeting in Summersville yesterday! We always appreciate the opportunity to connect with one another while spending time in the communities we serve across West Virginia.

07/13/2026

From McDowell County to the nation's most influential churches and universities, Dr. James Abbington (1960-2025) never forgot his roots. For his performances across the United States and around the world, every concert program included the words, "Born and raised in Gary, West Virginia."

A gifted pianist and renowned scholar, educator, and worship leader, Abbington was one of America's foremost authorities on Black sacred music. During his remarkable career he taught at Morehouse, Yale, Emory, and Duke. His extensive scholarship will shape generations of musicians and churches to come.

Widely regarded as the "dean of Black sacred music," Dr. Abbington's legacy will continue to inspire.

Read the new e-WV entry about Dr. Abbington: https://wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2514

07/01/2026

If you're attending events at West Virginia's State Capitol this week, you can beat the heat indoors with our HISTORY ALIVE program! Inside the State Archives research library at the Culture Center, you can catch "revolutionary" figures Abigail Adams (our second First Lady!) and Thomas Ingles—son of Mary Draper Ingles of "Follow the River" fame. Both were eyewitnesses to the American Revolution, and provide keen historical insights into our nation's founding. Special thanks to WV Tourism for making HISTORY ALIVE part of the state's 250th commemoration!

06/20/2026

Happy West Virginia Day!

There’s no better way to celebrate than with “People & Mountains,” our online magazine dedicated to the stories, history, culture, and people of the Mountain State.

Our Summer 2026 issue features Gerry Milnes, a West Virginian and National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow.

🔗: http://bit.ly/4ezCg2a

06/11/2026

The Summer 2026 issue of "People and Mountains" is here!

Learn more about 2026 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow Gerry Milnes, the restoration of Moorefield's historic Robert Higgins House, and the growing world of history-inspired board games.

🔗 Read it now: http://bit.ly/4ezCg2a

Address

1310 Kanawha Boulevard E
Charleston, WV
25301

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Website

https://wvhumanities.org/

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