Virginia Humanities

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholars Fellowship at Virginia Humanities seeks to amplify underrepresented voices and research within academic and applied humanities spaces. This fellowship assists HBCU-affiliated writers, community scholars, faculty members, and doctoral candidates in their research process through funding, access to academic publishing outlets (journals and presses), public promotion of their work, and professional community & peer support. This year, we are excited to begin offering both short-term (3-6 months) and long-term (9-12 months) options for fellowship applicants! Applications for the HBCU Scholars Fellowship are due Sunday, March 2, 2025. Read more on our website: https://loom.ly/iCHcnl4 #HBCUScholars #Fellowships #Humanities

As you may have heard, VH is celebrating our 50th anniversary! But do you know how we got started? Read up on our website about our origin story, the "Listening Tour" of 1973, and the founding of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy in 1974: https://loom.ly/Cp_lZ6A #OriginStory #VirginiaHumanities #50thAnniversary

Virginia Humanities is turning 50! 🎊 🥳 🍾 Earlier this month, we kicked off a year-long, state-wide celebration of VH's five decades of sharing the stories of Virginia's culture, history & people. As we wrap up 2024 and prepare to ring in the New Year, we’re asking you to make a gift today to honor our anniversary and help us begin our celebration. Give $50 in honor of our 50th today: https://loom.ly/PoX2KjA #50thAnniversary #EndOfYearGiving #NewYear

For decades historians and demographers have had difficulty pinpointing the exact number of Civil War casualties, especially on the Confederate side, due to poor record-keeping and records that were destroyed when Richmond fell. New methodologies pioneered by NYU political scientist Jeffery L. Jensen and colleagues have given us a better understanding of the Civil War's death toll in Virginia. Read Encyclopedia Virginia editor Patricia Miller's blog post for a breakdown of the numbers: https://loom.ly/Ca5eOPo #CivilWar #Virginia #History

In recent years, the Great Dismal Swamp has drawn increasingly public attention for its role in sheltering self-emancipated enslaved peoples prior to the Civil War. On Jan. 30, Public Humanities Fellow Perri Meldon will present a talk exploring what became of the Great Dismal Swamp after 1865. What decisions did Black, white, and Native farmers, landowners, hunters, and lumbermen make that shaped the vitality of this wetland? Register now for this FREE event: https://loom.ly/OsaOs4w

Since its founding in 2008, Podium RVA has helped thousands of students across the Greater Richmond area find their voices and showcase their writing skills. Podium’s mission is to empower youth ages 11 to 19 to become confident and capable writers, communicators, and leaders, setting the stage for their continued success in all areas of life. Read more about Podium RVA and their impactful work on our website: https://loom.ly/3V_0eZ4 #LiteraryArts #EducationalEquity #Richmond #GranteeStory

Maggie Lena Walker died #OTD in 1934. A lifelong resident of Richmond, Walker became the first Black woman to establish and become president of a bank in the United States. She was a leader within the Independent Order of Saint Luke, a Black fraternal society, and a cofounder of the Richmond chapter of the NAACP and Council of Colored Women. In 1904, Walker helped organize a 1904 boycott against segregated seating on Richmond streetcars. Her home at East Leigh Street is now a National Historic Site. Learn more about Maggie Walker’s life in our Encyclopedia Virginia entry: https://loom.ly/AbuF9Sk #BlackHistory #WomensHistory #RichmondHistory #VirginiaHistory Image source: Maggie L Walker National Historic Site

Last night, we celebrated five decades as your state humanities council and the many partners and friends who have helped us reach this significant milestone. This event at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center in Charlottesville marked the beginning of a year-long statewide anniversary celebration. The livestream included: - Remarks by Virginia Humanities’ executive director, Matthew Gibson - Remarks by UVA Executive Vice President and Provost, Ian Baucom - “My Virginia Is…” – Short poetry presentations from teenagers from Empowered Players led by Jessica Harris - Premiere of our new 50th anniversary video Watch the video: https://loom.ly/cM26Tnc Please note that additional remarks including two additional readings by Empowered Players and a Commonwealth’s Humanities proclamation by Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds were cut short due to one of our guests experiencing a minor medical issue. The individual was attended to by EMTs, is OK, and recovering. We hope to share the additional readings by Empowered Players on our Facebook account soon.

Like many of you, we were heartbroken to learn that Nikki Giovanni passed away last night at the age of 81. An accomplished poet, writer, activist, and educator, Nikki’s work tackled everything from race and gender to politics and love. In 2022, she retired from Virginia Tech after 35 years as a professor in the English Department. She left an indelible impression upon the American public. She was also a pivotal force behind much of our work. Nikki sat on our Board of Directors, was a guest on our With Good Reason radio show, and made multiple appearances at our annual Festival of the Book. In reflection of her fierce advocacy for women’s rights, she helped us establish our Rosel Schewel Fund, which supports projects centered on Virginia women and their stories. She was joined Tressie McMillan Cottom for the fund’s first event in September 2020 (https://loom.ly/dDJkA_c). We invite those unfamiliar with Nikki’s legacy to learn more from her friend and fellow poet Kwame Alexander: https://loom.ly/TmEkpSM 🤍 #NikkiGiovanni #Virginia #Humanities

Applications for our Virginia #HBCU Scholars Fellowship Program are open!⁠ ⁠ This fellowship helps HBCU-affiliated writers, community scholars, faculty members, and doctoral candidates with their research process through funding, access to academic publishing outlets (journals and presses), public promotion of their work, and professional community/peer support. Additionally, we are excited to begin offering both short-term (3–6 months) and long-term (9–12 months) fellowships. Learn more & apply by Sunday, March 2: https://loom.ly/iCHcnl4