The Schwartz Prize

2016 – [Archived] A collection of histories and programs from around the state of Michigan. (Schwartz Prize Winner 2016, Grant Opportunity

Statewide, KS – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2014] In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Quantrill’s Raid, community volunteers used Twitter to live-tweet Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence, KS. To stage the reenactment, fifty-one historical first person accounts – raiders, survivors, and victims – were connected through hashtag #QR1863. This project was coordinated by a team including the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau, Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence Public Library, Commemorate Lawrence 1863, Lawrence Social Media Club, and the Kansas Humanities Council. This program has been archived. (Public)

Statewide, MI – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2016] With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Michigan Humanities Council’s Heritage Grants Program supports projects that explore local histories of race, ethnicity and cultural identity in Michigan. (Public)

Statewide, MO – [resource] Hometown Humanities brings a year’s worth of humanities-based programming to a Montana community. Community members can choose upwards of 20 cultural programs from Humanities Montana’s catalog of offerings featuring public speakers, speakers in the schools, community discussions and more. The council has chosen Red Lodge as the host site for 2018-2019. (Public)

Statewide, MT – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2015] Through this program Humanities Montana created a focused partnership with one Montana community, offering between 25-35 different humanities programs, organizational support, marketing support, and neighborly advice over the course of twelve months. This program is ongoing. (Rural Communities)

Anne Arundel, MD – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2015] Hometown Teams is the fourth Museum on Main Street exhibit tour that Maryland Humanities Council has sponsored in the state. This program has been archived. (Rural Communities)

Portland, OR – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2014] Idea Lab is a three-day residential institute where Oregon high school teachers and 125-150 rising seniors from across the state explore the pursuit of happiness through workshops, lectures, films, and discussions. This program has been archived. (Youth, Educators, K-12)

2014 – [Archived] Exploring the pursuit of happiness with students and teachers. (Schwartz Prize Winner, Workshop)

Statewide, IN – [hiking, adventure] Next Indiana Campfires pairs literature with the outdoors to ignite conversations about Indiana’s future. This program was created in 2016 as part of the Pulitzer Prizes Centennial Campfires initiative, received a Schwartz Prize in 2017, and was granted funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of the Federation’s “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative. (Public)

Statewide, CA – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2015] War Ink illustrates how 21st century public humanities programming can make use of new technologies and reflect contemporary cultural forms while maintaining continuity with traditional humanities practices of reading, listening, reflection, and dialogue, in order to illuminate ideas and experiences at the heart of what it means to be human. This program is ongoing. (Veterans, Public)

2014 – [Archived] Humanities as a catalyst in the lives of young people and in the community. (Workshop)

Salt Lake City, UT – [Schwartz Prize Winner: 2014] We Are One offers an example of a new approach to public humanities work, one befitting the 21st century. Organic, grassroots, intentionally temporary but with an impact that is likely to endure, We Are One is an example of the public humanities as a catalyst, igniting conversations and other projects out of the control or domain of the original partnership. This program has been archived. (Youth, K-12)

Statewide, GA – [online] An online resource that presents a portrayal of people, places, and events that shaped Georgia. (Public)