Democracy and the Informed Citizen
From 2017-2022, humanities councils conducted programs tailored to their local communities that examined the connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. These programs use the humanities to enrich understanding of local and national issues, increase media literacy, distinguish reliable from unreliable sources of information, explore obstacles and potential solutions to sustaining local journalism, and engage in community conversations with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and other respected scholars. This initiative is generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and presented in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes.
Photo credit: Virginia Humanities, BackStory: Presidents and the Press
Uncovering the News: The Who, Where, When, Why, and How of Media Consumption Today with Georgia Broadcasting and Georgia Humanities
“No matter where you get your news, the goal of this program is to help you recognize how to get the best information available as a responsible news consumer, so that you can contribute to our democracy as an informed citizen,” said Laura McCarty, president of Georgia Humanities. Read more about his “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” program.
Councils Kick Off Democracy and the Informed Citizen Programs in 2018
In partnership with The Pulitzer Prizes and supported by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, forty-nine councils will launch hundreds of programs and events exploring the importance of being an informed citizen and what that means in today’s society.
Mellon Awards FSHC $1.7 Million for “Democracy and the Informed Citizen”
The Federation of State Humanities Councils has been awarded $1.7 million by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for a new national grant program, Democracy and the Informed Citizen, which will examine the critical role of journalism and the power of the humanities.
