Humanities Advocacy Day Report

On Tuesday, March 4, 94 humanities advocates visited 127 House and Senate offices representing 23 states and the District of Columbia. These grassroots advocates distributed issue briefs, discussed humanities projects in their states and districts, and asked that Members of Congress support increased funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications & Records Commission within the National Archives.

On the evening of March 4, more than 125 humanities supporters gathered at the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum on Capitol Hill to conclude a day of Congressional visits and to celebrate the humanities.

Representative Norman D. Dicks of Washington (D-WA) was presented with the Sidney R. Yates Award for Distinguished Public Service to the Humanities. Jessica Irons, Executive Director of the National Humanities Alliance, recognized Rep. Dicks as a national leader who has made a significant contribution to furthering work in the humanities.

The Sidney Yates Award is not an annual award, but rather one that recognizes extraordinary leadership on behalf of the humanities. Previous recipients include: Representative Jim Leach (R-IA) and Representative David Price (D-NC), as Co-Chairs of the Congressional Humanities Caucus (2005); Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) (2004); Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) (2001); Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) (2000); Representative Tillie Fowler (R-FL) (2000); and Representative Sidney Yates (D-IL).

Other highlights of the evening’s reception, co-sponsored by The History Channel, included remarks from Rep. David Price (D-NC), Co-Chair of the Congressional Humanities Caucus, and Dr. Bruce Cole, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Note: thank you to the National Humanities Alliance for providing this update.