On behalf of the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the National Humanities Alliance, thank you to everyone who attended the conference! It’s always wonderful to see public humanities professionals coming together to make waves and navigate currents of change, an experience that was enriched by our 2024 National Humanities Conference host—Rhode Island Humanities. Thank you to them for sharing great state and hospitality with us.
Wednesday, November 13
On the first day of the conference, attendees immersed themselves in the rich history and culture of Rhode Island through offsite sessions and tours. These excursions took participants to historic sites in Providence and Newport, highlighting Rhode Island’s Black history. Onsite, attendees gathered for convenings to share stories, strengthen engagement, brainstorm ideas, and more. The day concluded with a powerful event at the RISD Museum’s Metcalf Auditorium: “Veteran Voices: Stories, Poems, and Readings.”
Thursday, November 14
Thursday marked our first full day of sessions, starting with a forum from Museum on Main Street before attendees embarked on tours. The day featured thought-provoking sessions and constituent group discussions. In the evening, we welcomed new attendees to their first National Humanities Conference. For our opening plenary, Marisa Angell Brown, Executive Director of the Providence Preservation Society, explored how water has shaped Providence, including Indigenous and Colonial relationships to water, the city’s geography, and current efforts to address racial and social harms from past land development, as part of the Downtown Unified Vision Plan Study. The night ended with an opening reception, sponsored by Museum on Main Street (MoMS), where attendees heard from Carol Harsh and Andy Mink of MoMS. During the reception, attendees had the opportunity to reconnect while admiring MoMS’s traveling exhibitions and humanities programming, which bring heightened visibility to the local history and culture of small-town America.
“There’s so many challenges ahead, but it’s a gift I feel constantly to be a part of this community.“
— Marisa Angell Brown, Executive Director, Providence Preservation Society
Friday, November 15
We started off Friday with mindfulness through our Rhode Tour Run and meditation sessions. After breakfast, attendees enjoyed a fundraiser workshop lead by Gayle Gifford, Co-President of Cause & Effect Inc. We also showcased Eric Sung’s “The Welcome Home Project,” an art exhibit that features portraits and stories of returning citizens from incarceration (pictured above). Attendees heard from many inspiring panelists throughout the day before heading to the First Baptist Meeting House for our Schwartz Prize Presentation and Capps Lecture.
We were honored to have Deborah Schwartz, daughter of Helen and Martin Schwartz, present this year’s Schwartz Prize Awards. Three councils were recognized for their outstanding contributions to public humanities: Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities Montana, and Wisconsin Humanities. Read the press release to learn more about their outstanding humanities programming.
The evening concluded with the Capps Lecture, featuring Lorén M. Spears (Narragansett), Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum; Akeia de Barros Gomes, Vice President of Maritime Studies at Mystic Seaport Museum; and Linford D. Fisher, Associate Professor of History at Brown University. The conversation, moderated by Mack Scott (Narragansett), Visiting Associate Professor of Slavery and Justice at Brown University, focused on their personal journeys and the importance of reclaiming Black and Indigenous histories while charting new paths to knowledge.
“To recover history is to tell the full story.”
— Loren Spears (Narragansett), Executive Director, Tomaquag Museum
Saturday, November 16
Saturday began with an address from Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Representatives from the Pacific Island Humanities Network expressed gratitude to the first nations of this land in welcoming Chair Lowe and the NEH. We were also honored to have Senator Jack Reed (RI) greet us to the Ocean State, reminding us that “The Humanities help bring us together.” In her address, Chair Lowe highlighted the NEH’s Humanities Medal recipients and shared word of encouragement with the humanities community.
“The greatest contribution to this nation, to this world’s history will not be its economy or its technology, it’ll be its contribution to the human spirit and that is what you are so richly engaged in doing.”
— Senator Jack Reed
We closed this year’s conference with a captivating performance by the Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading (LHCPR). The event celebrated Hughes’ profound ties to Rhode Island and New England, highlighting his contributions to American literature, history, and culture. Engaging with our theme, “Making Waves, Navigating Currents of Change,” April Brown, Marcela Astudillo, and Tarshire Battle delivered powerful poetry readings. The session was further enriched by beautiful musical performances from jazz saxophonist Leland Baker and jazz guitarist Avi David. This memorable closing plenary honored Hughes’ enduring legacy and its lasting impact on our community.
“When you go back to your respective states, remember to do what is right, lean into the people you love, and understand that joy is important.”
— April Brown
Thank you to everyone who attended the conference and contributed to such an engaging experience. Rhode Island Humanities passed the tides to our 2025 host council Michigan Humanities We are excited to announce that the 2025 National Humanities Conference will be held in Detroit, Michigan, from November 12-16!
See you next year!
Photo credits: Marlisse Payamps and Kelsey Williston.
