From Garrett County to Worcester County and everywhere in between, our programs are capturing the attention and imaginations of more and more Marylanders every year.
To what extent do Maryland Humanities programs touch the lives of state residents? To put it in context, let’s consider the numbers from 2020:
Partners: 364 Participants: 81,479 Audience: 190,862 Scholars: 221 Youth Participants: 37,952 Donors: 413 Volunteers: 873 Events: 1,021 Towns: 123
“I feel more connected to history.”
“The opportunity to host the Smithsonian’s “The Way We Worked” exhibition allowed Sumner Hall to develop meaningful companion exhibits that can remain open to the public in the future. Exhibitions across the county were co-curated by community tradition-bearers, scholars, and college students, empowering citizens of diverse backgrounds to work together to tell their own often-untold stories.”
“Left on my own, I would choose the same kind of books over and over again. Now, [participating in One Maryland One Book,] my reading experience is broader and richer and all the more enjoyable.”
“[One Maryland One Book] taught me how much we need to talk and listen to one another.”
“[The humanities] are what allow us to see the beauty of the world. I often think that humans are the only species that can reflect on how beautiful the world is, can step back and take intense delight in the sounds and colors of it all, can record not only the world but our reactions to it. The humanities matter because beauty matters.”
“[I enjoyed the] thoughtful discussion about complex social issues that gave me hope for our future.”
“One of my students, a boy who works 35 hours a week at McDonalds, took the time to write me a letter stating the book had changed his life.”
“I had two students participate who told me they’ve never finished a book before and they finished this one and want to read more!”
“I enjoyed that this program directly related to key issues within our community […] I think this lecture could go on for hours; it’s fabulous!”
“The school I am reporting on is designed as an alternative center for students who are not successful in the “regular” classrooms in our district. These students are challenged by a number of factors, including emotional problems, discipline issues, etc. This particular book was one that a number of students were able to relate to and engage with. As a consequence, students who do not normally read became active participants in both reading and discussing!”
“Talking with students also helps those of us who have said little about our combat experiences because, in a sense, we feel guilty about why others died and not us/me? So, to be able to talk about it helps the veterans. The opportunity you provided to both students and veterans is wonderful and I do hope that our messages are meaningful to students.”
“[My favorite part of the tour was] learning about some of the people and places I hadn’t realized were part of Baltimore’s past.”
“[In Veterans Book Group,] I learned a different way to explain combat experience to one who has never been in the service.”
“It provided an opportunity for my child to learn through experiential opportunities. He had interviews and tours that were relevant to his topic that helped the history come alive and create unforgettable memories.”
“A sophomore on our school’s state-champ runner-up varsity football team was so taken by Joe’s story of the sophomore year on the boat that he got his dad (the coach) and several members of his team to read the book even though they weren’t assigned it in class. Another student described a discussion she got into with her math teacher after school about the relevance of the English curriculum and used her experience with Brown’s work and the field trip to convince her teacher that humanities are just as important as STEM. Great stuff!”