New Chair and Members Elected to Federation of State Humanities Council Board of Directors: Arizona, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island Represented

“This year’s winners reflect the intimate connections the state and US territory humanities councils have with their people,” said Esther Mackintosh, president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. “From climate change and sustainability to addiction and recovery, these two programs focused on vastly different audiences and challenges, but were similar in their commitment to address critical issues facing their communities; bringing people together, through the humanities, to acknowledge and respond to their unique needs. We are pleased to present the 2019 Schwartz Prize to both Humanities Guåhan and Ohio Humanities for their outstanding programs.”

“Oceania encompasses enormous diversity and complexity in terms of languages, traditions, and resources and at the same time there exists many shared core values and practices. The conference title, Roots & Routes: Navigation, Migration, and Exchange in the 21st Century, represents some of those commonalities. Roots and routes take on many meanings, one being deep cultural knowledge and its movement across islands and continents. It also touches upon our shared seafaring traditions passed down through generations, the ancient migration of groups that ultimately peopled the islands, as well as modern migration that poses both possibilities and challenges to our communities today.” Read about the conference’s significance regarding place and theme from Humanities Guåhan Executive Director Kimberlee Kihleng.

“This value teaches me a lot about the way to enter a new or unfamiliar place. I think about who I am and all I bring with me, and try to imagine my potential impact. I connect to my intentions to earn relationship and to give back in some way. I prepare myself humbly to listen and learn. I prepare myself to change. This goal of transformation from malihini to something else is an especially powerful ethic in our contemporary context of roots and routes.” Join Hawai’i Council for the Humanities Executive Director Aiko Yamashiro as she welcomes us to the 2019 National Humanities Conference and dissects what it means to be a visitor.

From haunted historical houses to spooky storytelling and re-enactments, councils celebrate Halloween with the humanities!

“These programs saw significant impact in their local communities, brought people together, promoted understanding and broke down conversation barriers resulting in real change, growth, and empowerment in their states and territories with reverberations that will be felt across the country.” – Esther Mackintosh, FSHC President

We encourage all members who are interested in the future and direction of the Federation of State Humanities Councils to attend as it is an excellent time to learn about the accomplishments, challenges, and future needs of the Federation as well as interact with Federation board members, both existing and upcoming, and staff.

The 2019 Annual Business Meeting of the Federation House of Delegates will take place on Saturday, November 9, from 1:00 to 1:55 pm, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki.

Learn more about our NHC 19 co-host: The Northern Mariana Islands! Learn a bit about the geography, history and culture in this most recent update.

Learn about one of our 2019 NHC host councils: Amerika Samoa! What’s in a name? Learn about the many nicknames of American Samoa in this most recent update.

Learn about one of our NHC 19 host councils: Hawai’i! Learn about the ‘okina and macron or kahakō in this most recent update.

“The councils are uniquely equipped to bring journalists into meaningful conversation with the communities they serve, to help citizens distinguish trustworthy from unreliable news, and to explore the historic role that journalism and the humanities have played in informing Americans,”

Join us in welcoming new Minnesota Humanities Center CEO Kevin Lindsey to the state humanities council community!