March at Mass Humanities. Receive monthly event emails for your area.

Mass Humanities is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the use of history, literature, philosophy, and the other humanities disciplines to deepen our understanding of the issues of the day, strengthen our sense of common purpose, and enrich individual and community life.

The National Endowment for the Humanities and the Massachusetts Cultural Council fund Mass Humanities grants. Encourage your state and federal legislators to support these agencies.

There are no smoke or mirrors are involved. We’re presenting our advice on preparing the best possible grant application in cities around the state. You can attend a session to learn about our grant program and receive the support of our program officers before you apply. Our next stop on this tour is in Pittsfield on March 5th, join us!

Parents and other caretakers connect with their young ones through the character-forming power of literature in our Family Adventures in Reading program. “The positive repercussions of the FAIR program extend far into our communities and beyond,” storyteller Karen Chase tells us. The recent pilot program, FAIR for Preteens, aimed at kids aged 10-13, has been similarly celebrated. Registration is open for the FAIR for Preteens program in Sturbridge. Grab one of these prized spots soon!

Think about the Declaration of Independence. Does the content, the intention, the significance of that important document apply across the board equally to all Americans? Frederick Douglass asked his audience to reflect on the same question in 1852 and his words will challenge us again this summer. Our Reading Frederick Douglass program can help you stage an event in your town to inquire about race, justice, and the social contract where you live.

Examining race is an integral part of our Negotiating the Social Contract theme and we continue sharing the stories of notable people of color—past and present—year round. We examine Malcolm X’s contributions to racial justice in the Clemente Course, hear Frederick Douglass’ historic words on abolition throughout the summer, and continue the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Our latest featured grant looks specifically at the contributions of black women to our discussions of the social contract. Read about the Harriet Jacobs Project and many other works we’ve funded that highlight the achievements of black women.

Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker (and Massachusetts resident) Ian Cheney documents the history, culture, and meaning of food in his films. Cheney’s films King Corn and The Search for General Tso inquire about what we grow, what we eat, how and when we eat it, and who’s eating—all themes that will also be explored at this year’s conference. The eleventh annual Mass History Conference takes place on June 1st and, as always, welcomes the state’s small historical organizations to this incomparable skill-sharing and networking gathering.

You’re invited to join MassCreative for a day of sharpening our advocacy skills and meeting with our legislators about arts and cultural issues, including the state budget. The event takes place March 25th and begins at the Citi Wang Theatre in Boston with celebrations of our state’s arts and humanities work. Join the Arts Matter March on the way to the State House where meetings are scheduled for the afternoon. RSVP to attend Arts Matter Day!