The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the
U.S. government, established by th
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the
humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
. The NEH is housed at 400 7th St SW,
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
From 1979 to 2014, NEH was at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
in the
Nancy Hanks Center at the Old Post Office.
History and purpose
The NEH provides grants for high-quality humanities projects to cultural institutions such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, and radio stations, and to individual
scholars
A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researcher ...
. According to its mission statement:
"Because democracy demands wisdom, NEH serves and strengthens our republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans."
The NEH was created in 1965 as a sub-agency of the
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities is an agency of the United States federal government that was established in 1965. Its purpose is to "develop and promote a broadly conceived national policy of support for the humanities and ...
, which today also includes the
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
, the
Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent agency of the United States federal government established in 1996. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States, having the mis ...
, and the
Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities is an agency of the United States federal government that was established in 1965. Its purpose is to "develop and promote a broadly conceived national policy of support for the humanities and ...
.
NEH was based upon recommendation of the National Commission on the Humanities, convened in 1963 with representatives from three US scholarly and educational associations, the
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ar ...
, the
American Council of Learned Societies
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
(ACLS), and the
Council of Graduate Schools
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is a nonprofit higher education organization with headquarters in Washington, DC. Its mission is to advance graduate education and research. Its main activities consist of best practice initiatives, data anal ...
.
The agencies stated purpose is to create incentives for excellent work in the humanities by:
* awarding grants that strengthen teaching and learning in the humanities in schools and colleges
* facilitate research and original scholarship
* provide opportunities for lifelong learning
* preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources
* strengthen the institutional base of the humanities.
As part of its mandate to support humanities programs in every US state and territory, the agency supports a network of private, nonprofit affiliates, the
56 humanities councils in the states and territories of the United States.
Jim Leach leadership, 2009–2013
The ninth NEH chair was
Jim Leach
James Albert Smith Leach (born October 15, 1942) is an American academic and former politician. He served as ninth Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 2009 to 2013 Pogrebin, Robin"Rocco Landesman Confirmed as Chairman of the ...
. President Obama nominated the former Iowa congressman, a Republican, to chair the NEH on June 3, 2009; the Senate confirmed his appointment in August 2009.
[Robin Pogrebin]
"Rocco Landesman Confirmed as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts"
''New York Times'', August 7, 2009. Leach began his term as the NEH chair on August 12, 2009 and stepped down in May 2013. Between November 2009 and May 2011, Leach conducted the American "Civility Tour" to call attention to the need to restore reason and civility back into politics, a goal that in his words was "central to the humanities." Leach visited each of the 50 states, speaking at venues ranging from university and museum lecture halls to hospitals for veterans, to support the return of non-emotive, civil exchange and rational consideration of other viewpoints. According to Leach, "Little is more important...than establishing an ethos of thoughtfulness and decency of expression in the public square. Words reflect emotion as well as meaning. They clarify—or cloud—thought and energize action, sometimes bringing out the better angels in our nature, sometimes lesser instincts."
William Adams leadership, 2014–2017
The tenth chair of the NEH was
William Adams, who served from 2014 to 2017. President Obama nominated Adams on April 4, 2014; Adams was confirmed by the Senate in a voice vote on July 9, 2014. Adams appointed Margaret (Peggy) Plympton as the deputy NEH chair in January 2015.
Before Adams's appointment, the NEH was headed by Acting Chair
Carole M. Watson. Adams resigned his appointment on May 23, 2017, when he cited accomplishments under the "Common Good" initiative and the appointment of new administration officials.
Jon Parish Peede, 2018–2022
Appointed under
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, from 2018 to 2022,
Jon Parrish Peede
Jon Parrish Peede is an American book editor and literary review publisher, who served as the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 2018 to 2021.
Early life
Jon Parrish Peede was born in Mississippi, and he grew up in Brandon ...
served as Chair of the NEH. On February 10, 2020, the NEH was presented by the Trump administration with a FY2021 budget that included an orderly wind-down of the agency.
Shelly Lowe
Plans to close the agency were halted under the
Biden Administration
Joe Biden's tenure as the 46th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2021. Biden, a Democrat from Delaware who previously served as vice president under Barack Obama, took office following his victory ...
and the NEH continues to operate and provides funding for various projects. In 2022,
Shelly Lowe
Shelly C. Lowe is an American academic administrator serving as the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Early life and education
Lowe is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and grew up on the central part of the reservation in Ganad ...
was confirmed as the chairman of the NEH.
She is the first native American to lead the agency.
Congress appropriated $180 million USD for the NEH in FY2022.
Offices and initiatives
The Endowment is directed by the
NEH chair. Advising the chair is the National Council on the Humanities, a board of 26 distinguished private citizens who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The National Council members serve staggered six-year terms.
The NEH chair
The Endowment is directed by a
chair
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
, who has legal authority to approve all recommendations and award grants and cooperative agreements. The chair is nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The chair's decisions are informed by recommendations from the National Council on the Humanities, peer-reviewers who are selected to read each project proposal submitted to the Endowment, as well as by the Endowment's staff.
Major program offices
The NEH has six grant-making divisions and offices:
* The Division of Preservation and Access awards grants to preserve, maintain, and improve access to primary sources in the humanities, in both digital and analog form.
* The Division of Public Programs supports projects that bring the humanities to large audiences through libraries and museums, television and radio, historic sites, and digital media.
* The Division of Research makes awards to support the publication of books in and outside the humanities.
* The Division of Education works to support and strengthen teaching of the humanities.
* The Office of Federal/State Partnership collaborates with 56 state and territory humanities councils to strengthen local programs.
* The Office of Digital Humanities advises on use of technology in the humanities and coordinates, and was established in 2008.
The Office of Challenge Grants, dissolved in 2017, administered grants intended to support capacity building and encourage fundraising in humanities institutions. The Division of Preservation and Access now offers a grant program that is similar to previous programs in the Challenge Grants office.
Special initiatives
These are special priorities of the endowment that indicate critical areas of the humanities as identified by the NEH chair. They differ from the divisions of the endowment in that they do not sponsor or coordinate specific grant programs.
Bridging Cultures initiative
Bridging Cultures was an NEH initiative that explored ways the humanities promote understanding and mutual respect for people with diverse histories, cultures, and perspectives. Projects supported through this initiative focused on cultures globally as well as within the United States.
Standing Together
This initiative, launched in 2014, marks a priority to make awards that promote understanding of the military experience and to support returning veterans.
We the People
''We the People'' was an NEH special funding stream initiated by NEH chair Coles, using dedicated funds available to each chair of the NEH, which was designed to encourage and enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history, culture, and democratic principles. The initiative supports projects and programs that explore significant events and themes in American nation's history, which advance knowledge of the principles that define America.
According to NEH, the initiative led a renaissance in knowledge about American history and principles among all US citizens. The initiative was launched on Constitution Day, September 17, 2002 and active through 2009.
Notable projects
Since 1965, the NEH has sponsored many projects, including:
* "Treasures of Tutankhamen," an exhibition seen by more than 1.5 million people.
* ''
The Civil War,'' a 1990 documentary by
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...
seen by 38 million Americans.
* Library of America, editions of novels, essays, and poems celebrating America's literary heritage.
United States Newspaper Project an effort that cataloged and microfilmed 63.3 million pages of newspapers dating from the early United States. The program now digitizes newspapers and makes them available throug
Chronicling America a web resource maintained by the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
.
* Fifteen Pulitzer Prize–winning books, including those by
James M. McPherson
James Munro McPherson (born October 11, 1936) is an American Civil War historian, and is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus of United States History at Princeton University. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for '' Battle Cry of F ...
,
Louis Menand
Louis Menand (; born January 21, 1952) is an American critic, essayist, and professor, best known for his Pulitzer-winning book ''The Metaphysical Club'' (2001), an intellectual and cultural history of late 19th and early 20th century America.
L ...
,
Joan D. Hedrick, and
Bernard Bailyn
Bernard Bailyn (September 10, 1922 – August 7, 2020) was an American historian, author, and academic specializing in U.S. Colonial and Revolutionary-era History. He was a professor at Harvard University from 1953. Bailyn won the Pulitzer Pri ...
.
EDSITEment a Web project bringing the "best of the humanities on the web" to teachers and students, started in 1997.
* Reference archives, in Athens and Boston, of archaeological photographs taken by
Eleanor Emlen Myers.
*
The Valley of the Shadow
The Valley of the Shadow is a digital history project about the American Civil War, launched in 1993 and hosted by University of Virginia, the University of Virginia. It details the experiences of Confederate States of America, Confederate soldi ...
, a digital history project created by
Edward L. Ayers
Edward Lynn "Ed" Ayers (born January 22, 1953; Asheville, North Carolina) is an American historian, professor, administrator, and university president. In July 2013, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama at a W ...
and
William G. Thomas III on the experience of Confederate Civil War soldiers in the United States.
What's on the Menu digitization and community-sourced transcription of
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
's restaurant menu collection.
*Katherine Anne Porter at 100, a conference at the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
featuring presentations on Porter and her work, film screenings, and exhibits containing items from Porter's papers.
Recent and upcoming council meetings
Agendas and minutes:
Agenda for Meeting of the National Council on the Humanities 7 March 2022
Awards
Jefferson Lecture
Since 1972 the NEH has sponsored the
Jefferson Lecture
The Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities is an honorary lecture series established in 1972 by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). According to the NEH, the Lecture is "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished ...
in the Humanities, which it describes as "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities." The Jefferson Lecturer is selected each year by the National Council on the Humanities. The honoree delivers a lecture in Washington, D.C., during the spring, and receives an honorarium of $10,000. The stated purpose of the honor is to recognize "an individual who has made significant scholarly contributions in the humanities and who has the ability to communicate the knowledge and wisdom of the humanities in a broadly appealing way."
[Jefferson Lecturers](_blank)
at NEH Website (retrieved January 22, 2009).
National Humanities Medal and Charles Frankel Prize
The National Humanities Medal, inaugurated in 1997, honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened citizens' engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans' access to important resources in the humanities. Up to 12 medals can be awarded each year. From 1989 to 1996 the NEH awarded a similar prize known as the
Charles Frankel
Charles Frankel (December 13, 1917 – May 10, 1979) was an American philosopher, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, professor and founding director of the National Humanities Center.
Early life and personal life
Born into a Jewish family in New ...
Prize. The new award, a bronze medallion, was designed by David Macaulay, the 1995 winner of the Frankel Prize. Lists of the winners of the National Humanities Medal and the Frankel Prize are available at the NEH website.
''Humanities'' magazine
Starting in 1969, the NEH published a periodical called ''Humanities''; that original incarnation was discontinued in 1978. In 1980, ''Humanities'' magazine was relaunched (). It is published six times per year, with one cover article each year dedicated to profiling that year's Jefferson Lecturer. Most of its articles have some connection to NEH activities. The magazine's editor since 2007 has been journalist and author
David Skinner. From 1990 until her death in 2007, ''Humanities'' was edited by Mary Lou Beatty (who had previously been a high-ranking editor at the
''Washington Post'').
See also
*
Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities
The Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the executive leader of the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency created in 1965. The Chair directs the NEH and is the sole position in the agency wit ...
*
List of state humanities councils
State humanities councils are private, non-profit partners of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). There are 56 councils located in every U.S. state and jurisdiction. These councils work to support local public humanities programs as we ...
*
Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent agency of the United States federal government established in 1996. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States, having the mis ...
*
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
*
National Humanities Medal
The National Humanities Medal is an American award that annually recognizes several individuals, groups, or institutions for work that has "deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens' engagement with the human ...
*
National Humanities Medal recipients
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
References
Further reading
* Jensen, Richard. ''The Culture Wars, 1965-1995: A Historian's Map" ''Journal of Social History'' (Vol. 29, Special Issue: Social History and the American Political Climate: Problems and Strategies (1995)), pp. 17-3
online* Kammen, Michael. "Culture and the State in America." ''Journal of American History'' 83.3 (1996): 791-814
online* Koch, Cynthia M. "Postscript: The Endowments at Fifty." in ''Funding Challenges and Successes in Arts Education'' (IGI Global, 2018) pp. 32-48.
* Miller, Stephen. ''Excellence and Equity: The National Endowment for the Humanities'' (UP of Kentucky, 2015).
* Redaelli, Eleonora. "Understanding American cultural policy: the multi-level governance of the arts and humanities." ''Policy Studies'' 41.1 (2020): 80-97
online* Topf, Mel A. "The NEH and the Crisis in the Humanities." ''College English'' 37.3 (1975): 229-242
online* Zainaldin, Jamil. "Public works: NEH, Congress, and the state humanities councils." ''Public Historian'' 35.1 (2013): 28–50
online
External links
*
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanitiesin the
Federal Register
The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every weekday, except on feder ...
NEH EDSITEment: The Best of the Humanities on the WebGrantSocial: NEH Grant Browser 1970-present
{{Authority control
Great Society programs
Independent agencies of the United States government
Government agencies established in 1965
Foundations based in the United States
Humanities organizations
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities