New Hampshire Humanities

04/20/2026

Heads up, humanities and history fans! If you were planning to attend the US@250: Big Watch screening and discussion of “The American Revolution” by Ken Burns at the Durham Public Library tomorrow (April 21), the event has been postponed and will be rescheduled. Stay tuned for the new date!

Good news: There are still plenty of Big Watch programs happening across New Hampshire this spring, thanks to our partnership with New Hampshire PBS and additional support from the Cogswell Benevolent Trust. Don’t miss out – explore upcoming events here: https://tinyurl.com/52u8527x

04/17/2026

Now through April 20, 2026, play with purpose! A portion of proceeds at Revo Casino and Social House in Keene will support New Hampshire Humanities, helping us bring free public programs to communities across the Granite State.

Thank you, Revo Casino and Social House!

04/13/2026

INSPIRE CURIOSITY! Bring a facilitated book group, lecture, film screening, or musical performance to your town – apply by April 15 to host a Humanities to Go program. Stipends of up to $300 are available to qualifying organizations, and the application is easy! Check out nhhumanities.org/htg to learn more.

03/27/2026

NEW PROGRAM ALERT! Commemorate and reflect upon the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with your community - host a film screening and facilitated discussion about THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new film directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Apply between April 1-15 to host this Humanities to Go program, “US@250: Big Watch,” in collaboration with New Hampshire PBS. Learn more about the program here: https://www.nhhumanities.org/program/us250-big-watch

03/27/2026

03/23/2026

The BIG WATCH is here, New Hampshire! Communities across the Granite State are coming together throughout 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Join your neighbors for the US@250 Big Watch Film Screenings & Discussions, featuring a powerful preview of "The American Revolution," a new film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. After the screening, stay for a lively community conversation as we reflect on our shared history and what it means today.

In addition to hosting the film discussions, host locations are offering a complementary event for their communities – more than 80 Big Watch events total all over the state! Find a program near you at https://tinyurl.com/newhampshire250

This initiative is made possible through a collaboration with New Hampshire PBS, with additional support from the Cogswell Benevolent Trust. Don’t miss your chance to be part of history – connect, learn, and celebrate together.

03/20/2026

Due to weather predictions on Sunday, Rebecca Rule's Humanities to Go program, "That Reminds Me of a Story," hosted by the Whitney Community Center in Jackson has been cancelled. But don't worry – plans are already underway for a new date in October!

Be sure to check out the other upcoming programs happening around the state this month: https://www.nhhumanities.org/programs/upcoming

New Hampshire Humanities is celebrating 50 years! We provide wide-ranging and thought-provoking, humanities-based programs that connect people across New Hampshire

03/20/2026

New Hampshire history is full of voices—some well known, others still being uncovered.

At the Portsmouth Athenaeum, a new exhibit shares the stories of women whose work, influence, and actions have helped shape New Hampshire.

Watch the full story here: https://www.wmur.com/article/chronicle-portsmouth-athenaeum/70804521

Arielle Mitropoulos WMUR
Portsmouth Athenaeum

03/17/2026

Bring big ideas to your community! From April 1-15, apply to host a Humanities to Go program at your organization and spark meaningful conversations right where you are. Choose from thought-provoking lectures, lively book discussions, music appreciation sessions, living history experiences, and more. This application window is for programs occurring May 1 - July 31, 2026.

Don’t miss this chance to inspire, connect, and explore – right in your town! Learn more and apply: www.nhhumanities.org

02/23/2026

Meet your BIG WATCH facilitators! As part of our US@250 celebration, this spring New Hampshire Humanities, in collaboration with New Hampshire PBS, will launch the Big Watch, a statewide series of community-driven programs bringing Granite Staters together to watch, discuss, and reflect on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. Organizations across New Hampshire will host watch parties featuring themed excerpts from Ken Burns’ new film, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, followed by thoughtful, civil discussions led by trained facilitators. Together, we’ll explore what it means to “remember together” – and each host site will offer a complementary community program to continue the conversation.

This past weekend, our talented facilitators gathered in Concord for training, reflection, and rich discussion in preparation for the programs they’ll soon lead across the state. We can’t wait for you to meet them at a screening near you!

Back row (L–R): Dawn DeAngelis, Courtney Marshall, Glenn Knoblock, Mohamed Defaa, Damian Costello, Mary C. Kelly, Beth Salerno, Jessica Hägg, Adar Cohen, Michael Haley Goldman.
Front row (L–R): Katie Malloy, Lauren Grace Williamson, Mary Adams, Mary Nolin, Meg Mott, David Alcox (not pictured: Joshua Duclos).

Find a screening & discussion and additional community-driven events in your area: https://www.nhhumanities.org/big-watch/

These events are made possible by New Hampshire Humanities in partnership with NHPBS, with additional support provided by Cogswell Benevolent Trust. By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage (Smithsonian Folklife).

02/06/2026

Steve Taylor's popular program, "Late in Arriving, How Electricity Changed Rural New Hampshire Life," originally scheduled for tomorrow, February 7 hosted by the Pillsbury Free Library at the Warner Town Hall, is being postponed due to impending weather. The new date is Saturday, February 28. Be sure to get it on your calendar now!

New Hampshire Humanities is celebrating 50 years! We provide wide-ranging and thought-provoking, humanities-based programs that connect people across New Hampshire

02/06/2026

Register now for Free Virtual Lecture: Letters from Home: Northern New England Women and the American Civil War, which will be presented via Zoom on Wednesday February 11 at 7 p.m.

Savannah Clark focuses on the wartime experiences of women from the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont in this virtual lecture. Northern New England women lived far from Civil War battlefields, but they were deeply impacted by the conflict. Using letters written by women, Clark highlights the voices of women left behind on the Northern New England home front and explores how they dealt with the political, economic, and emotional trials of the Civil War. Clark is a doctoral candidate at the University of Maine.

Advance registration is required at https://events.humanitix.com/free-virtual-lecture-letters-from-home-northern-new-england-women-and-the-american-civil-war.