Last year, St. John’s University celebrated New York’s African-American history and the diversity of Staten Island with “Sandy Ground at St. John’s: Faces of the Underground Railroad,” a public humanities and educational outreach program which brings the community into the history of the first free black community in New York State. Funded by a HNY Action grant, the installation, series of four public lectures, and K-12 school visits engaged audiences in the past, present, and future of the borough’s black communities. Read more about the program here. HNY: How did you put the Sandy Ground project together? Robert: I am […]
Interview: Women’s Suffrage History in Rochester
Formed in 2016, The Rochester Area Suffrage Centennial Alliance (RASCA) is a network of institutions that are coordinating celebrations for the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in New York State. The Friends & Foundation of the Rochester Public Library received a Humanities New York (HNY) Vision Grant to support the RASCA planning process. They also received an Action Grant for the “Because of Women Like Her” exhibit, which is on display at the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County through October 14, 2017. HNY: RASCA involves a large network of institutions in the Rochester area. What […]
Interview: Bierman and Thompson, Leaders of The League of Women Voters of New York State
Interview conducted by Nicholas MacDonald, Humanities New York HNY: How did you each get started with the League of Women Voters? Laura: I joined the League in 1982, when I moved from Washington D.C. to Albany. I was worried about not being as involved in politics, that turned out to not be a concern! Dare: I was pretty apolitical for the first 25 years of my life, but then I accidentally got a job teaching middle school social studies. Having to teach the Constitution really opened my eyes to civic responsibility; after that, I became involved with the League of […]
Interview with grant recipient, Geva Theatre Center
In July, Humanities New York Grant Officer, Kate Sidley, spoke with Jenni Werner and Mary Tiballi-Hoffman of the Geva Theatre Center in Rochester about their funded grant project, “Journey to the Son: A Celebration of Son House”—a four day celebration honoring legendary blues musician Eddie “Son” House. Geva Theatre Center received an Action grant in support of this project.
Interview with Grant Recipient, Thomas Guiler
In April, New York Council for the Humanities Grant Officer, Kate Sidley, spoke with Thomas Guiler about his funded grant project “UpstateHistorical,” a Vision grant to plan for a website and smartphone app that visitors can use as a tour guide through historical landmarks in upstate New York. The plan is to launch a pilot program with the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild and then spread out to other upstate sites. Tom is also a Public Humanities Fellow with the Council’s Humanities Centers Initiative focusing on intentional communities and communal groups. Can you start off by telling us a little bit about what […]
Interview with Grant Recipient, Alexander Provan
In December, New York Council for the Humanities Grant Officer, Lauren Kushnick, spoke with Alexander Provan, Editor of Triple Canopy magazine, about his funded grant project “The End of the Image as We Know It: 3D Printing before the Law”: A lecture series about the legal implications of reproduction technology such as 3D printing.