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Humanities =

Federation of State Humanities Councils 9 Episodes Mar 26, 2026

Humanities = is a podcast that highlights real individuals, organizations, and communities making a difference through the humanities. Each episode features hopeful and inspiring interviews with professionals and volunteers who use the humanities to empower veterans, boost childhood literacy, improve lives of incarcerated people, turn teens into civic leaders, and bring communities together. The show is produced by the Federation of State Humanities Councils, a network of 56 nonpartisan nonprofits established by Congress in 1971 to make public humanities programming accessible to Americans. Listeners can learn more and find their local council at statehumanities.org.

Episodes

Training Community Journalists in DC Mar 26, 2026 1511 Access to local journalism has been declining for years now. Newspapers are closing, journalists are being laid off, and media outlets have reduced or eliminated local coverage. HumanitiesDC’s Community Journalism Program addresses this pressing need by training Washington, D.C., residents in the discipline of journalism so they can tell the stories that matter most to them and their neig

Supporting HBCU Scholarship Feb 4, 2026 1102 Virginia Humanities has been working to connect the academic and public sides of the humanities for decades through their fellowship programs. Their newest fellowship supports faculty and alumni of HBCUs—historically Black colleges and universities. The focus at these schools is often on teaching, which means opportunities for humanities research can be limited. The HBCU Scholars Fellowsh

Higher Education for All Dec 16, 2025 1644 Illinois Humanities believes education is liberatory and should be accessible to all. That belief led them, 25 years ago, to partner with The Clemente Course in the Humanities to offer free college courses to low-income adults in the Chicago area through a program called the Odyssey Project or Proyecto Odisea. In this episode, learn more about this program and how it changes lives. Our gu

Poetry in the Great Outdoors Dec 10, 2025 1175 Does reading poetry make the world a better place? Are poetry readings better in the great outdoors? Every summer, Vermont Humanities hold a series of poetry readings in Vermont state parks called Words in the Woods, which connects participants with the state’s natural resources and its living literary legacy. Dive into the relevance of poetry in our modern world, the relationship between

Empowering Teen Leaders Oct 22, 2025 2065 It’s true that youth are the future, but we have to give them the tools and skills to make it a good one. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at two programs using the humanities and public libraries to inspire and empower teens to speak up and play an active role in their communities. In Montana, the Democracy Project from Humanities Montana brings teens together via their local

Families That Read Together Sep 3, 2025 1629 Empowering and equipping families to read aloud at home is a powerful way to boost childhood literacy and help families bond. In this episode, we take a closer look at two family reading programs: Humanities Nebraska’s Prime Time Family Reading and Colorado Humanities’ Motheread/Fatheread. We’ll dig into how critical early reading is for academic achievement, the incredible benefits kids

Veterans and the Power of Conversation Sep 3, 2025 2045 How can reflective conversations help veterans open up and share their experiences? In this episode, two conversation programs are creating spaces where veterans can reflect on their service and find connection through dialogue. Humanities Texas’ Veterans' Voices program brings veterans and members of the public together to read and discuss literary excerpts related to war and service. Mi

Healing through Prison Programs Sep 3, 2025 2265 Two stories about how the humanities can provide healing for people during and after incarceration. The Mississippi Humanities Council’s prison book club program provides intellectual stimulation and community for men and women at 16 Mississippi prisons. And in New Jersey, a theatrical program called Ritual4Return gives returning citizens the opportunity to create and perform their own ri

Trailer: Humanities = Aug 26, 2025 78 Listen to clips from the first three episodes of Humanities =, a podcast about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. This show is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Find episode transcripts and additional podcast content at statehumanities.org/podcast.

Humanities =

Episodes

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