Listen to Federation Podcasts
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a national initiative developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Throughout 2026, humanities councils across the United States, its territories, and DC developed community-driven programs in collaboration with local partners as part of this initiative.
In each episode of this podcast, the culture-bearers and community leaders behind these events bring them to a national audience. Find out what was going on in Wyoming in 1776, sit in on a conversation between Mexican folk music performers in Washington, explore music history from the front porch in Georgia, revisit a multi-cultural celebration in Maine, and so much more.
Humanities =
Humanities = is a podcast about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. Tune in for hopeful and inspiring interviews with professionals and volunteers who are using the humanities to empower veterans to heal, support childhood literacy and family bonding, improve the lives of people experiencing incarceration, turn teens into civic leaders, bring communities together through conversation, celebrate local history, and so much more.
Making Meaning: Why Humanities Matter
In 2021, the Federation commissioned this podcast on the role the humanities have played during the pandemic and in our recovery. This podcast was produced as part of the “Humanities in American Life” initiative, funded by the Mellon Foundation, which rang from 2017-2021. This six-episode season includes 12 interviews and features stories from African Americans, Asian Americans, Cuban Americans, Native Americans, and an immigrant from Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia and features humanities programming from 19 states and jurisdictional territories.
Blues and Community in Small-Town Georgia (By the People Podcast Episode)
Hartwell, Georgia, has a story to tell, and on a hot day this spring, the community came together for an entire day dedicated to the stories, sounds, and traditions of this small town of 4,500 people.
Before Wyoming: The West in 1776 (By the People Podcast Episode)
What was going in the West while the thirteen colonies fought for independence?
Mariachi and Son Jarocho in Washington (By the People Podcast Episode)
Guests in this episode share the history and traditions of son jarocho and mariachi, discuss how their own identities and lives have been shaped through these practices, and reflect on how they are using this music to build community and connection in Washington state.
