PA Humanities

05/29/2026

“...that kind of grit and that kind of determination is Pennsylvania born and Pennsylvania made.”

PA Humanities’ own Dawn Frisby Byers, senior director of content and engagement, is featured in PBS's American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. This episode explores Pennsylvania’s rich literary legacy, from historic libraries and landmark bookstores to the writers, journalists, poets, and cultural leaders who have shaped stories across generations. Watch to celebrate the people and places that make our literary landscape so vibrant.

PBS Books Pennsylvania Center for the Book

Fasten your seatbelts and join PBS Books and the Library of Congress as we visit Pennsylvania on our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join...

05/28/2026

Who will you recognize in your community? Nominations are now open for The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, PA Humanities’ statewide initiative celebrating Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities.

A Window Keeper can be a librarian or educator, or a museum or nonprofit professional expanding access to knowledge and bringing learning into everyday spaces. Perhaps it’s a local historian or archivist preserving community memory. Maybe your Window Keeper is a cultural tradition bearer passing down language, foodways or art. Or a community organizer or small business owner creating spaces for connection.

Everyone knows someone - who is your someone? Nominate them today!

Real-life Window Keepers are everyday people who illuminate what’s possible in their communities, helping others to connect and participate more fully in civic life. Over the coming months, PA Humanities will recognize Window Keepers from all across Pennsylvania, but we can't do it without YOU! Re...

05/22/2026

PA Humanities was honored to premiere Voices of History Erie with Erie's Black Wall Street at the Erie Art Museum, sharing eight moving stories from local Erie residents about family, migration, community care, pride, perseverance, and transformation.

We were grateful to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Dr. Edda Fields-Black, author of COMBEE, for a powerful conversation on preserving history through story.

Huge thanks to our partners Erie’s Black Wall Street, Kyra Taylor, Dr. Rhonda Matthews, our community storytellers, filmmaker Morgan Moody, creative director Terrell Robinson, HICAAE, Hagen History Center, and Erie Art Museum.

Voices of History Erie is made possible by funding provided by Erie Insurance, Thomas B. Hagen, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program, the Pennsylvania Department of Education Job Training and Education Programs Grant, and The Erie Community Foundation.

All the videos from the premiere will soon be posted at PAHumanities.org/Voices and on PA Humanities’ YouTube channel.

05/08/2026

“The Wingspan funds opened our eyes to what is possible. You can have a dream, but when you see it in the works, when you see it come to fruition, it wakes up another part of you.”

Our latest story highlights how three PA Humanities Wingspan grantees are using local history, storytelling, arts, and collaboration to build stronger community connections across Pennsylvania.

Friends of the Henry O. Tanner House, Cultural Arts & Technology Center, Crawford County Historical Society

Recent funding for Wingspan was provided by PA Humanities and Spring Point Partners, with additional support from private donors.

PA Humanities launched the two-year Wingspan grant program in 2024. Learn how Friends of the Tanner House, the Chester Cultural Arts and Technology Center and the Crawford County Historical Society used the funding and peer support to strengthen their work as living, collaborative experiences rooted...

05/08/2026

Big news for Pennsylvania -- and extra for Erie!👏

PA Humanities has launched "The Window Keeper: Civic Honors," a new statewide initiative recognizing everyday leaders who strengthen our communities through connection, storytelling, and civic engagement. Inspired by a poem imagining democracy as something we must continually “care for,” the program shines a light on the people doing that work every single day.

We’re especially proud to celebrate our own Ben Speggen, JES Vice President and Kyra Taylor, 2024 JES Civic Leadership Academy graduate, for being named two of the inaugural Window Keepers -- honoring their leadership and commitment to building a stronger, more connected Erie.

These are the kinds of stories that remind us: civic life isn’t abstract -- it’s local, it’s human, and it’s happening all around us. (And luckily for us at JES, alongside us every day.)

Join us in congratulating Ben, Kyra, and all of the inaugural honorees.💙

To learn more: pahumanities.org/conversations/2026/04/29/pahumanities-launches-windowkeeper/

05/01/2026

“I’m honored to be recognized as a Window Keeper because my work has always centered on helping communities tell their stories, preserve what matters, and use culture as a force for connection and change." -Tara Jones, Cultural Arts & Technology Center

We’ve officially announced The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, a new statewide 250th initiative from PA Humanities recognizing Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life.

Now we’re inviting YOU to be part of it. Who would you nominate?



The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, Pennsylvania state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and individual donor Randall Miller.

New statewide initiative honors 25 inaugural Window Keepers and opens public nominations for America’s 250th anniversary PA Humanities today announced the launch of The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, a statewide initiative to recognize Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communit...

04/30/2026

🪟 Who will you nominate? Big news - today, we launched The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, a new statewide 250th initiative from PA Humanities, inspired by The Window Keeper poem by Philadelphia poet laureate Yolanda Wisher. We’re recognizing the Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities and showing the good work happening across our state.

We’re celebrating 25 inaugural honorees, and now it’s your turn!

Do you know someone who brings people together, shares stories, or strengthens your community? Nominate them today and share this with your networks so we can reach every corner of Pennsylvania.

🔗 Follow the link to learn more and submit a nomination! 🔗

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, Pennsylvania state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and individual donor Randall Miller.

Our Work The Window Keeper: Civic Honors Nominate a Pennsylvanian whose everyday actions strengthen community and sustain civic life LaKeisha WolfUjamaa Collective (Pittsburgh)Bryan WadeKeystone Oral Histories (New Cumberland)Todd PousleyCity of CarbondaleTammy BlountErie County Public LibraryOctavi...

04/21/2026

We are launching our “Let’s Dream Boldly” campaign to support our work during the ongoing funding crisis and invest in what comes next. With your support, we’re raising $50,000 in individual support by year’s end.

As part of the campaign, we’re kicking things off with a stylish “Let’s Dream Boldly” mug. Every purchase supports our work, with an option to add an additional donation at checkout.

Join us in dreaming boldly and taking action to keep our work moving forward.

Get your mug now!

Start your day knowing you?re making a difference.. Every purchase of this mug donates $5 to support our work with youth programming. Your gift sustains the programs ...

04/16/2026

Yesterday in the Pennsylvania House, Rep. Joe Ciresi opened session with a reading of “The Window Keeper” by Yolanda Wisher, a powerful reflection on the everyday acts of care and leadership that sustain our democracy.

We were also honored to have our Executive Director Laurie Zierer recognized from the House floor by Speaker Rep. Joanna McClinton.

This was a preview of what’s to come.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are preparing to launch The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, a new humanities initiative inviting nominations from across the Commonwealth to recognize neighbors, educators, organizers, and others making a difference in daily civic life.

We are excited to share more soon. Stay tuned!

Window Keeper initiatives are supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, PA state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and support from Randall Miller.

04/10/2026

National History Day in PA! is making a final appeal for judges for the State Finals at the University of Scranton. This is a chance to contribute to an important event for Pennsylvania's youth as they compete for top honors and the opportunity to represent Pennsylvania at the NHD National Contest.

One last appeal for judges for the NHD in PA State Finals at the University of Scranton! We would love to have you join the over sixty other judges from all over the Keystone State who have signed up already!! Here is the link to sign up!

Judge Registration - https://pa1.nhd.org/app/user/new/Judge/?f=241f5264-6d7c-4164-beee-2cd3201e56aa