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One Nation Under God?
The Role of Religion in American Public Life |
The Annual Mass Humanities Fall Symposium
I drove 70 miles each way
to attend and was so very
gratified that it was worth
every minute.
–S.B., Warren, MA
Your parents may have told you to avoid talking about religion and politics in public, but almost 300 people did just that on November 22, when they participated in our symposium, hosted by Boston College. The program brought a stellar group of academics, journalists, theologians and other thought leaders together with students and members of the general public…
The full account by Kathryn Ruth Bloom is posted on our blog, The Public Humanist.
Visit The Public Humanist |
| Family Adventures In Reading (FAIR) |
So, Why Do Mosquitoes Buzz In Peoples’ Ears? Inner city families found out that there are many possible ways to approach this famous question, as they discussed with professional storytellers a variety of outstanding picturebooks this fall (including this West African tale retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon). The Saturday sessions at the Springfield City Central Library were oases of intergenerational exploration and discussion. Mass Humanities launched FAIR with the help of a generous grant from the Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation, and the program will continue at other branches in 2009.
For more information about FAIR click here. |
| Liz Walker’s Journey |
At our fifth annual benefit dinner on November 20th, former WBZ-4 news anchor Liz Walker spoke about her more recent avocation as an ordained elder of the African Methodist Episcopal church, and humanitarian activist for the people of the Sudan. Her speech bridged the theme of the fall symposium on religion and public life, with the stories of participants in the Clemente Course who also spoke to the crowd in BC’s elegant Gasson Hall. Through sponsorships, ticket sales, and donations we raised close to $60,000 for programs like Clemente and FAIR. Consider Mass Humanities in your year-end giving.
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Traces of the Trade:
Massachusetts and the Economy of Slavery |
More than 220 years after the abolition of slavery in the Commonwealth, members of the public discovered this fall that Massachusetts citizens continued to reap profits from slave labor elsewhere until the Civil War. Mass Humanities brought scholars and the public together to explore the evidence found at local historical organizations in Boston, Lowell, Salem, Sheffield, and Whitinsville, in conjunction with screenings of an hour-long version of Katrina Browne’s documentary Traces of the Trade. A sixth session is scheduled for February at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
To read more about this project, click here. |
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Commonwealth Reading Series |
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In partnership with Mass Humanities, the MCC will spotlight local fellows and finalists from its Artist Fellowship Program in a series of free local gatherings, statewide. Every two years, the MCC awards grants to talented Massachusetts writers, who have included Robert Pinsky, Sue Miller, Tom Perrotta, and many others. Come hear this year’s fellows and finalists read their work. The first readings will take place at Forbes Library at 20 West Street in downtown Northampton, February 25th at 7:00 pm. For more information, contact Dan Blask at (617) 727-3668, ext. 329. |
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| The Clemente Course Needs Your Help! |
Recent cuts in state funding – made after our Clemente students had enrolled in September – have left us with a gap of $100,000 in the program’s budget. Through Clemente, we provide adults in or near poverty with introductory courses in the humanities, free of charge, for college credit. Help us bring the humanities to those who could use them most in these tough times, by making a tax-deductible, year-end contribution today. Please make a donation now by clicking here.
Read more about Clemente here. |
| Recent Grants |
Mass Humanities made eight grants across the state totaling more than $48,000 this fall, including:
 $5,000 for an interactive exhibit of Aquinnah Wampanoag oral histories.
$4,560 for a film festival on artistic expression in the face of censorship in the Muslim world.
$4,090 for a lecture series on American foreign policy issues.
Get the full details here. |
| Upcoming Grant Deadlines |
In addition to more general grants for humanities projects, Mass Humanities continues its thematic focus on Liberty and Justice for All, emphasizing projects that explore these fundamental principles in American political life. Prior to submitting proposals, applicants must consult with Program Officer Hayley Wood by January 1st, by email or phone at: (413) 584-8440. Once eligibility is determined, draft proposals would be due January 15th; final proposals would be due February 1st.
More grant information |
| Scholar In Residence (SIR) Grants |
The SIR program funds research that advances the interpretation and presentation of history by Massachusetts history organizations, based on research in the organization’s collections or mission purview. Enquiring SIR applicants must consult with Pleun Bouricius by January 1st; full proposals would then be due from eligible applicants by February 1st.
More about SIR grants. |
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