National Humanities Center

06/24/2026

How have African Americans engaged with US foreign policy toward Africa and the Caribbean since the mid-twentieth century? NHC Fellow Ronald Williams II’s research project examines TransAfrica, the African American foreign policy advocacy organization, and asks what enabled its rise and what limited its long-term influence.

Read more about his important work: https://bit.ly/4xyZCfV

06/18/2026

What role does imagination play in the creation of ethically charged art? NHC Fellow Emine Hande Tuna’s research project examines the limits and implications of imagination as a form of resistance within artworks.

Read more about her important project: https://bit.ly/3QLkjof

06/17/2026

We’re enjoying our time this week in Texas at our 2026 Teaching African American Studies Institute (TAASI) hosted by Prairie View A&M University.

Educators are participating in a deep dive into unraveling the various ways digital humanities can expand Black studies to make this complicated, varied history more accessible to teachers and students, alike. Each day, they attend immersive, hands-on learning experiences and sessions led by an incredible lineup of scholars and speakers. For our participants, there is much more to unpack and learn over the next few days.

Thank you to our partners at the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice, Director Melanye Price, Assistant Director Marco Robinson, as well as PVAMU faculty, staff, and students.

06/16/2026

“African Americans have defined freedom for the entire country...They were pushing the country toward thinking about all these rights that we all now take for granted.”

NHC President and Director Blair LM Kelley appeared live last Saturday to discuss the importance of Juneteenth as a national holiday.

06/15/2026

The National Humanities Center (NHC) is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Dr. Ben Vinson III as Presidential Scholar-in-Residence for 2026–27.

The Presidential Scholar-in-Residence initiative was established by NHC president and director Blair LM Kelley to recognize the accomplishments of distinguished scholars and humanities leaders and invite them to participate in the robust intellectual life of the Center.

Dr. Ben Vinson III has been re-appointed as a 2026–27 Presidential Scholar-in-Residence at the National Humanities Center.

06/04/2026

For our final Featured Research edition for our 2025–26 Fellows class, we highlight the research of the Fellows whose projects examine complicated dimensions of political affiliation, organization, and resistance created from intersections of ideology, imagination, and enduring commitment.

Visit our latest Featured Research page to learn more about these projects.

Complicated dimensions of political affiliation, organization, and resistance are created from intersections of ideology, imagination, and enduring commitment.

06/03/2026

To commemorate National Library Week (April 19–25) and celebrate our local libraries, NHC Fellows and staff organized a month-long used book drive to support the Durham County Library system.

Yesterday, the NHC donated over 150 books to the Friends of the Durham Library (Friends of the Durham Library), a nonprofit organization that helps fund programs, services, and materials at Durham County Library.

The National Humanities Center is proud to support our Triangle community and public libraries.

06/02/2026

Yesterday, the National Humanities Center was pleased to welcome the 2026 class of Select Summer Residents. Over the next month, Summer Residents will have access to the Center's library staff, prepared meals, optional professional development sessions, and a private office to conduct their research.

We look forward to their time here as they work on their important projects.

05/28/2026

How did medieval Muslim authors view animals? And how did their unconventional views shape modern Islam? NHC Fellow Sarra Tlili’s research examines animal themes in the Qur’an and how anthropocentric assumptions have influenced Islamic scripturalism and skewed our understandings of human and nonhuman agency.

Learn more about her important work: https://bit.ly/3Q7WN4z

05/22/2026

This week, we say farewell to our 2025–26 class of NHC Fellows. We’re proud of all that this year's Fellows have accomplished and look forward to seeing their projects make their way into the world in the months ahead.