The social fabric of society, the humanities ground us in the world. Through the lens of the humanities–history, ethics, jurisprudence, philosophy, theology, and literature- we can respond to challenging circumstances with lasting change.

Humanists help us conceive of the changing world we live in and identify ways for us to connect, participate, and adapt. Our members organize tens of thousands of programs and events each year tailored to the needs of their communities. These programs may take the form of letter-writing programs to support veterans, literacy programs for families, continuing education for incarcerated populations, as well as state-wide reads, community discussion groups, podcasts exploring political histories and events, and lectures with leading journalists, scholars, and other professionals across the nation.

Work of the councils

Our councils are steadfast in meeting the needs of their communities in our present moment. Drawing from the most pressing issues our nation faces to local challenges, the state and jurisdictional councils bring diverse people together using the humanities through programming and events, support cultural organizations’ programs and operations, and promote an engaged citizenry. During COVID-19, with support from Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), councils disseminated more than 80 million dollars of American Rescue Plan and CARES Act funding to tens of thousands of local organizations to save jobs, support operations and programs during the pandemic.