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Welcome to Humanities Iowa The mission of Humanities Iowa is to promote understanding and appreciation of the people, communities, cultures, and stories of importance to Iowa and the nation. Humanities Iowa is the only non-profit organization in Iowa committed to bringing the humanities to life and to the public through interactive programming, publications, and events. Humanities Iowa was founded in Iowa in 1971 and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington D.C. We provide grants to aid other non-profit organizations in furthering the humanities in Iowa as well as conduct our own programs in support of the humanities across Iowa. Each year, we serve over 70,000 Iowans with humanities programming and projects totaling over $1,500,000. We offer dynamic programming such as our Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau and Library Reading and Discussion Series. We sponsor the annual Humanities Iowa Awards, honoring Iowans for their contributions to the humanities, and Chautauqua, where humanities scholars perform as great writers and thinkers of the past. We have a strong commitment to sharing the humanities with Iowans of all ages and continuing our support and involvement well into the next millennium. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "[A] mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions." His words provide inspiration for all to embark upon the humanities adventure, an exploration that expands the horizons of our minds and our understanding of purpose. As we open our minds, we open ourselves to the world around us. This is what Humanities Iowa strives to do. National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in Washington, D.C. is a federal agency that supports all areas of the humanities. Funding research, education, museum exhibitions and other programs and activities throughout the country, the NEH supports humanities organizations like Humanities Iowa, linking them with Humanities Councils in the 50 states and six territories. For more information, check out NEH's web site at www.neh.gov Humanities ExplainedWhat are the humanities, and how do they relate to the "real" world? Ask a random group of people, and you will rarely get the same definition twice. Contrary to popular belief, however, the humanities are not restricted to only being experienced in the sphere of academia--most people experience at least one branch of the humanities in the course of their daily living! With so many people today unaware of the purpose of the humanities, it's important we focus on and understand how we experience the humanities each day. The humanities are part of the common human experience, connecting us to each other and our communities in a unique way. The humanities not only exist within the "real" world, they define it. A museum exhibit about the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, a spirited philosophical discussion about human existence or interacting with people of different cultures in your hometown are all experiences grounded in the humanities. The humanities keep us in touch with ourselves and with others. They open up the world to us, enriching our human experience. They offer us the opportunity to learn from the past, explore the present, and shape the future. They are about culture, community, and connections. Quite simply, they are about what make us human.
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Getting InvolvedWould you like to get involved and support Humanities Iowa beyond attending our programs? You can do this in one of two ways. We welcome donations from engaged individuals who are committed to furthering the humanities in Iowa and are able to offer financial support. With only 17 cents per Iowan allotted from the federal government to spend on the humanities, your financial support is the key to ensuring the continuation of the humanities in Iowa. You can also donate another valuable resource--your time, through participation in humanities programs or becoming a Humanities Scholar or local Project Director. By investing your time or money with us, you become part of the humanities picture--contributing to an awareness of the humanities and ultimately strengthening communities across Iowa. For more information contact: Humanities Iowa
Traditionally humanities disciplines include: •African-American Studies |
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Some of what HI offers...
Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau brings insightful lectures and programs in the humanities to senior centers, museums, libraries, businesses, and other organizations throughout Iowa.
Our exhibits present humanities issues in a visual format by
lending portable exhibits to schools, libraries, banks, museums,
businesses and city governments for public display. If you are
interested in one of the following exhibits please contact our office
for more details. info@humanitiesiowa.org Current Exibits:
Sowing the Seeds of Cultural Diplomacy World Food Prize and Humanities Iowa Partner to support the Governor's Lecture Series with the support of Humanities Iowa, Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, a native of Cresco Iowa and the recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, gave the inaugural "Governor's Lecture" at The World Food Prize International Symposium on October 14, 2004. The Governor's Lecture is now an annual feature of the International Symposium which takes place each October as part of the presentation of the $250,000 World Food Prize—known informally as the "Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture." |
To buy a copy of Lewis and Clark in Iowa: Send a check to Humanities Iowa, 100 Oakdale Campus N310 OH, Iowa City, IA 52242. Chapbooks are $2.00 each plus $1.00 for shipping for each book. Don't forget to include your mailing address. Call (319) 335-4153 with any questions. To order more than three chapbooks or to pay by credit card call Humanities Iowa at (319) 335-4153 or send an email to the following address: info@humanitiesiowa.org Voices from the Prairie
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Humanities Iowa is helping to fund a one-man play by the International Writing Program (IWP) based on the life of native Iowan Paul Engle, cofounder of the IWP. In 2007 the IWP celebrates 40 years of bringing writers from around the world to Iowa. Humanities Iowa was able to talk with IWP director, Christopher Merrill about Paul Engle, the IWP and what both have meant to Iowa.
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Humanities Iowa, University of Iowa Research Park, N310 Oakdale Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242 |