Humanities in Action: Building a Better Future
Humanities in Action: Building a Better Future is a podcast about the work being done today to create a more empathetic and connected future. Through interviews and researched stories, we'll share Tennesseans' visions for the future and the programs, decisions, and choices they are making today to bring those futures to life.
Episodes
In this bonus episode, Adam Velk speculates about artifacts that he thinks may have been inconceivable to some of America's Founding Fathers.
This episode is part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife...
For the fifth episode of our special series Curating Tennessee, 1776-2076, we're speaking with Adam Velk, the Museum Director of the Green-McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton, Tennessee. You'll hear Adam talk about two artifacts related to school desegregation in Anderson County, discuss plans for a new exhibit about the history of school integration around the county, and imagine what future statistics around teacher hiring ...
In this bonus episode, Wayne Dowdy shares an artifact that he believes would have been inconceivable to America's Founding Fathers. He also talks about the fragility and strength of democracy.
For the fourth episode of our special series Curating Tennessee, 1776-2076, we're speaking with Wayne Dowdy, the Senior Manager of the Memphis Public Libraries History Department. You'll hear about a document that speak to the ongoing process of creating a more perfect union, the importance of creating oral histories that speaks to our current moment, and what Wayne can imagine archiving in the future.
In this bonus episode, Tranae Chatman shares a category of artifacts from the Tennessee State Museum's collection that she thinks would have been inconceivable to the Founding Fathers. She also shares the types of artifacts she's collecting today for future curators of her museum.
In the third episode of our special series Curating Tennessee, 1776-2076, we're speaking with Tranae Chatman, the Curator of Social History at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. You'll hear about a group of artifacts that speak to the ongoing process of creating a more perfect union, the importance of collecting art that speaks to our current moment, and what we can imagine collecting in the future.
In this bonus episode, Neecole Gregory shares an object from the Morton Museum of Collierville History's collection that would have been inconceivable to the Founding Fathers. She also shares the types of artifacts she's collecting today for future curators of her museum.
In this second episode of our special series Curating Tennessee, 1776-2076, we're speaking with Neecole Gregory, the Director of the Morton Museum of Collierville History in Shelby County. You'll hear about a complicated artifact in their collection that reflects historical meaning making and the complicated process of creating a more perfect union. Gregory also shares a recently acquired artifact and what she imagines coll...
In this bonus episode, Adam Alfrey discusses an object from the East Tennessee Historical Society collection that would have been inconceivable to the Founding Fathers. He also shares what he's interested in collecting today to help his future counterpart. If you haven't yet, we hope you'll listen to our previous episode to learn more about ETHS, Adam, and our Curating Tennessee series.
In this first episode of our special series Curating Tennessee, 1776-2076, we're joined by Adam Alfrey of the Knox County Public Library.
As we prepare for America's 250th birthday, we're asking museum curators across the state to tell us about artifacts in their collections that represent the revolutionary process of creating a more perfect union. We’re discussing what they are collecting today to show how we the peopl...
In this episode, we're speaking with Dr. Warren Dockter, the President and CEO of the East Tennessee Historical Society and Vice Chair of the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
We’re talking about Tennessee’s role in the American Revolution, the work the Tennessee 250 Commission is doing throughout the state - including making grants to county commissions and organizations, and how he envisions Tennessee...
In this episode, we're exploring uncertainty - the awareness that we've reached the edge of our knowledge - and the role it plays in the public humanities. We'll start by looking at how the Neighborhood Story Project is designed with uncertainty at its core. We'll also look at what happens when the most stable part of a project, our appropriated federal funding, is revoked.
Thank you to Amie Thurber, Janet Palmore, ...
In this special episode, we're speaking with Serina Gilbert at Promise Land Heritage Association in Charlotte about her experiences working with Humanities Tennessee and how she imagines their museum will be impacted if our organization is forced to stop our work because of the termination of our federal funding.
On April 2, 2025, all of the state humanities councils - including Humanities Tennessee - received notice that our fe...
On April 2, 2025, all of the state humanities councils - including Humanities Tennessee - received notice that our federal funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities was terminated effective immediately. Humanities Tennessee receives approximately $1.2 million annually from the NEH. We leverage this public investment with additional individual, foundation, and corporate contributions to fund programs and projects throug...
In this episode, we're speaking with Tranae Chatman, the President of the Inter-Museum Council of Nashville. We’re talking about ICON’s Community Histories oral history project, why this volunteer, professional organization decided to take on the work, and what she hopes the future impact of the project will be.Music by Nikola Špoljar and Mike Kripak from Pixabay
In this episode, we're speaking with Shamichael Hallman, the Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity at the Urban Libraries Council and author of Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy.
We’re talking about his role in reimagining the Cossitt Library in Downtown Memphis, why libraries are a critical part of civic infrastructure, and what he envisions for the future of libraries.
In this episode, we're speaking with Sheila Renee Moore Williams who manages theMoore Family Farm in Benton County, Tennessee, with the assistance of her family. We’re talking about her family’s farming legacy, the Moore Land Project: Testimonies of Black Owned Farms and Gardens in Tennessee, and what she hopes for the future of Black and Indigenous farming in our state.
In this episode, we're speaking with Mark Dudney, a public historian and regional planner for the Upper Cumberland Development District. We’re talking about why historic preservation and public history are important in rural communities and his hopes for the future of Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region.
Music by Grand_Project and Mike Kripak from Pixabay.
In this episode, we're speaking with Emily Masters, the Development Director at Launch Tennessee - a nonprofit organization that supports the state’s startup ecosystem through capital, connections, and commercialization.
We’re talking about Launch Tennessee’s programs, how Masters's background in the humanities impacts her role and the organization, and what role the humanities could play in the future of Tennessee startups.
In this episode, we're speaking with Cameron Katz, Head of Content + Partnerships for Made By Us. We’re talking about how Made by Us is building a coalition of cultural institutions and members of Gen Z to empower young adults to understand our history in order to create our future.
During the episode, we'll discuss two of Made By Us's largest programs. Click here to learn more about Civic Season and Youth 250 by following th...
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