Welcome to the North Carolina Humanities Council

Founded in 1972, the North Carolina Humanities Council is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities dedicated to exploring and celebrating our state’s heritage, history and people. Through its programs, partnerships and scholarships, the Council preserves and shares the stories that bring North Carolina’s culture to life and enrich the lives of residents across the state.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is in jeopardy, with strong indications its funding may be eliminated in the current administration’s budget proposal to Congress. State humanities councils receive core funding from the NEH.The public humanities provide people from all walks of life with a greater understanding of ourselves and others. Local programs strengthen and build communities by fostering thoughtful dialogue around issues of importance.

We are calling on all our humanities advocates to speak up and urge Congress to sustain the NEH funding that is crucial to nation’s democracy, history and cultural heritage. Click here to learn more.

North Carolina Humanities Council Awards $120,000 in Grants to NC Cultural Organizations

CHARLOTTE, NC (October 11, 2017) – The North Carolina Humanities Council has awarded $120,000 in grants to six cultural organization for public humanities projects across North Carolina.

Since 1972, The North Carolina Humanities Council has worked to make the public humanities a cornerstone of life, by providing grants, awards, and specialty programs that engage people of different backgrounds and geographic locations in understanding their shared human experiences.

North Carolina Humanities Council Awards Bland Simpson with Highest Honor

CHARLOTTE, NC (August 4, 2017) – The North Carolina Humanities Council’s Board of Trustees has selected Bland Simpson as the recipient of the 2017 John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities, the Council’s most prestigious public humanities honor. The award recognizes Simpson for his lifelong achievements as a professor, author, musician, and environmentalist and for his work as a public humanities advocate across North Carolina.

Grassroots Grant: Rhythm of Race: A Celebration of Music and Spoken Word - Day-Long Festival

Project Director: Emelia Cowans-Taylor 919-707-9837 emelia.cowans@naturalsciences.org

Council Launches Initiative to Create Cultural Conversations

CHARLOTTE, N.C. / May 31, 2017 – Amid burgeoning cultural conflict, a growing need for civil discourse is the focal point of an initiative Journey in the New South: Conversations on the Legacy of Race and Ethnicity in North Carolina, presented by the North Carolina Humanities Council (the Council).

2017 North Carolina Humanities Council Trustee Nominations

The North Carolina Humanities Council invites nominations for the Council's Board of Trustees. Candidates must be North Carolina residents committed to advancing the North Carolina Humanities Council’s mission to serve as an advocate for lifelong learning and thoughtful dialogue about all facets of human life and to facilitate the exploration and celebration of the many voices and stories of North Carolina’s cultures and heritage.