 Humanities Happenings
See who we funded in our first grant round of 2018!
These 12 grants fund exceptional work in the public humanities across the Commonwealth, including a discussion of creativity in comic books by black artists and writers, an opportunity to give recently arrived immigrants the chance to share their stories, a Boston Chinatown walking tour brochure, and much more.
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 Get ready to read Frederick Douglass—together
Annual public readings coming up soon
Mass Humanities coordinates annual public readings of Frederick Douglass’s famous Fourth of July address, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” with communities and organizations around the state. Take part this year—Douglass’s 200th anniversary—by planning a Reading Frederick Douglass public event for this summer, with help from a discussion grant (inquiry deadline April 9). Our main Douglass public reading will take place on Boston Common at the State House, July 3 at noon.
GET STARTED BY VISITING OUR DOUGLASS PAGE |
 A Great and Difficult Progressive
The life of W.E.B. Du Bois
On February 28, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Levering Lewis delivered an address to the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth in Great Barrington of the sociologist, philosopher, and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois. Professor Lewis kindly gave Mass Humanities permission to share his remarks with readers of our blog, The Public Humanist.
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 Upcoming Grant Deadlines
Ready…set…start your proposals!
Mass Humanities grants support programs that use the humanities to deepen public understanding of current social, political, and economic issues, thereby enhancing and improving civic life. We offer three types of grants: project, local history, and discussion. The next inquiry deadline for local history and discussion grants is April 9.
GET THE FULL LIST OF DEADLINES & LEARN MORE |
 What Does Women’s History Month Mean to You?
Three women share their thoughts
"I believe we need to listen to the margins if we are to create social and legal systems that allow all of us to thrive." We reached out to three women actively engaged in telling women’s stories, each of whose work is supported by a Mass Humanities grant, to get their thoughts on what Women’s History Month means to them.
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 Compelling talks, fascinating books
Harvard Book Store and Mass Humanities team up for five events this month covering subjects from black women’s role in the Black Power movement to an investigation of the evolutionary and cultural roots of hate to a philosophical dialogue on doubt. Featuring Ashley Farmer, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Sally Kohn, Michael Rebell, and Eli Hirsch.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
 Anne Hutchinson Banished
Anne Hutchinson's real trouble began when word spread that she was criticizing the teachings of the Puritan ministers. Ultimately she was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638.
READ THE MASS MOMENTS STORY AND SUBSCRIBE |
 History of the LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement
Mass Humanities is supporting this talk discussing the pinnacle moments of the LGBTQ civil rights movement that helped secure basic rights while highlighting the work still needed to achieve true equality for the LGBTQ community. The talk, led by Assistant Professor of History at Fitchburg State Dr. Katherine Rye Jewell, is part of a series of programs this spring exploring gender and equality.
MORE INFORMATION |
 Raíces
Raíces is a Mass Humanities-funded multidisciplinary performance that explores themes of roots and identity through folktales about the majestic Ceiba Tree from Latin America and the Caribbean. Hyde Square Task Force youth artists will share their interpretation of these folktales with audiences using dance, music, and theatre.
MORE INFORMATION |
 The Veterans Experience: “The Things They Carried”
A classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds since it burst onto the literary scene, "The Things They Carried" is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling.
Join Dr. Robert Meagher for a free, Mass Humanities-funded pre-show discussion about the book and how the Vietnam War changed so much for veterans and civilians.
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 From Japan to Southcoast: An enduring bond
“The goal of this effort, as was last year’s, was to impress upon students the importance of the arts in learning history and how the arts can humanize people and events in the history timeline.” Mass Humanities is proud to support this project and many other terrific things happening in New Bedford.
FULL ARTICLE |
 Turn Prisons into Colleges
"If we believe education is a civil right that improves society and increases civic engagement, then the purpose of prison education shouldn’t be about training people to develop marketable skills for the global economy." Excellent piece on why educating prisoners, in the humanities and other disciplines, should be a central part of criminal justice reform.
READ MORE AND DISCUSS ON FACEBOOK |
 Humanities Calendar
We list some of the best humanities programming in the Commonwealth on our event calendar. See what's happening in March. Publish your organization's public humanities events!
FIND EVENTS |