“Every leader requires an understanding
of what has gone before—the wisdom and errors of the ages, as conveyed by the best works of history, biography, literature, and philosophy. “No responsible American leader today can deal adequately with issues without some understanding and knowledge of the history, geography, and culture of those who do not look or talk or think as we do. No responsible American leader can cope with the problems and pace of change in the world today, no matter how ably one masters a balance sheet, a flow chart, a spectrum analysis, or an opinion poll, unless one also possesses a well-rounded, well-grounded creative, imaginative mind, a mind both stuffed and stretched by the ideas and expressions and examples of humankind throughout the ages. “Our students, if they are to be able in the 21st century to keep up with the pace of change in thought as well as technology, must not only be stuffed with information, but stretched to open their minds to the flow of wholly new concepts and complex thought processes that will continue for the rest of their lives. “That is why I urge you to support the Nebraska Humanities Council. To nourish our nation’s spirit— to raise our sights, stretch our minds, and expand our horizons. That is what the humanities can do for us all, political leaders and public servants and just plain private citizens alike.”
Your gifts are crucial to our programs and can help generate matching funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Nebraska. Nebraska Humanities magazine will be sent to all donors who give $45 or more. Please indicate your level of support: Member Sower Silver Sower Gold Sower Vision Circle Other $ $45 $100 $250 $500 $1,000 & up
Humanities & Leadership…
To learn from our history
To understand our cultural heritage
To develop strong civic traditions
Cultivating an understanding of our history and culture
Like the sower casting seed on fertile soil, the Nebraska Humanities Council cultivates our rich heritage, our civic spirit, and our connections to each other. By nourishing an appreciation for history, literature, and philosophy, we instill in our citizens ideas and values that form strong communities and renew our share in the good life.
Cultivating an understanding of our history and culture
Please help cultivate the humanities in Nebraska!
Please send me information on including the Nebraska Humanities Council in my will. The Nebraska Humanities Council enhances the quality of life in communities across our state through Our product programs that is knowledge. study the human race, Our service its achieveis enriching ments, its our citizens creations, its and building dreams and aspirations, strong its failures and communities. triumphs. We promote a better understanding of Nebraska—who we are and where we have been—to build a better future. My employer will be matching my gift (please enclose employer matching gift form). Please send me the Humanities Resource Center catalog. Please contact me about becoming more involved with the Nebraska Humanities Council. Make your check payable to the Nebraska Foundation for the Humanities and mail it to the Nebraska Humanities Council, 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 500, Lincoln, NE 68508.
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Excerpt from the first Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities, “Poetry and Politics: The Importance of a Liberal Arts Education to Public Leadership in the Twenty-First Century,” delivered by Theodore C. Sorensen. For a copy of the complete lecture, contact the Nebraska Humanities Council. 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 500 Lincoln, NE 68508 402-474-2131 Fax 402-474-4852 nhc@nebraskahumanities.org www.nebraskahumanities.org
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To make a secure gift online or read more about our programs, please visit www.nebraskahumanities.org.
Your financial support makes these programs possible:
Humanities Resource Center
The resource center provides urban and rural areas with easy access to a collection of nearly 300 programs in our Speakers Bureau. It also includes video and audio resources, exhibits, cultural encounter trunks, and books for reading and discussion groups. Available to any organization, more than 500 programs are offered in communities statewide annually.
Prime Time Family Reading Time
Low-literacy, low-income Spanish-speaking families gather in libraries to read award-winning children’s books with storytellers and scholars. Prime Time fosters high academic expectations for children and encourages parents to speak and read English.
Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities
The annual Governor’s Lecture brings an outstanding national speaker on the humanities and/or public policy to Nebraska for a free public lecture. Past speakers include Thomas Friedman, David Halberstam and David McCullough.
Museum on Main Street
Collaborating with the Smithsonian Institution brings high-quality exhibitions to small Nebraska museums that lack the resources of larger institutions. The council tours exhibits such as “Barn Again!,” which explored America’s changing rural heritage, “Key Ingredients,” which examined food as part of our cultural identity, and "Between Fences," which looks at land use and neighborhoods.
Community Grants
Grants are available to local communities for conferences, exhibits, local and regional projects, films, and humanities programs that contribute to an understanding of Nebraska and the world. Any nonprofit group or organization may apply for funding. The council is especially interested in projects that help us understand the impact of new immigrants and refugees in Nebraska, the shift of population from rural to urban, and the aging of our population. the Nebraska Humanities Council has funded programs that explore Nebraska’s heritage, build community awareness and strengthen our ties to cultural traditions. These programs, held throughout the state, enrich our children and adults with knowledge and values they need to become enlightened citizens of the 21st century. A state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska Humanities Council is an independent, nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board.
Chautauqua
Each summer this unique event brings historical figures to life and provides a week of educational entertainment for children and adults under the Chautauqua tent.
Capitol Forum on America’s Future
Co-sponsored with the Nebraska Secretary of State, Capitol Forum encourages high school students to better understand American democratic values and examine global issues facing the U.S. Students participate in discussions and deliberations with their peers from across the state and members of our elected congressional delegation.
Nebraska Book Festival
The annual Nebraska Book Festival is a partnership with the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission that brings together hundreds of people from across the state to celebrate all aspects of the book and the enjoyment and educational value of reading and writing.
Since 1973
Public Radio and Television
Nebraskans statewide can tune into Saturday’s “Weekend Edition” and “Sunday Morning Edition” for coverage of local humanities events. The council also provides funding for NET programs that record and preserve Nebraska’s heritage.