Our Impact in Maryland

From Garrett County to Worcester and everywhere in between, our programs are capturing the attention and imaginations of more and more Marylanders every year.

According to a national report, The Heart of the Matter: The Humanities and Social Sciences for a Vibrant, Competitive, and Secure Nation, the humanities serve as “a source of national memory and civic vigor, cultural understanding and communication, individual fulfillment and the ideals we hold in common.” With such potential for positive impact, Maryland Humanities joins the call for a renewed commitment to the humanities by refocusing our efforts on creating programs that involve, inform, and encourage Marylanders to pursue lifelong learning.

Thanks to the loyalty and generosity of our supporters, partners, and friends, Maryland Humanities is more active, more diverse, and our work more impactful than ever before. With an outstanding variety of humanities events all across the state plus an exciting new website and social media presence, there are endless opportunities to get involved.

By the Numbers

  • 123
    towns in which Maryland Humanities programs were held
  • 221
    Maryland Humanities scholars
  • 37,952
    Maryland Humanities youth program participants
  • 6,020
    Maryland Humanities volunteer hours
  • 413
    Maryland Humanities Donors
  • 296
    Maryland Humanities virtual events
  • 190,862
    Maryland Humanities total audience
  • 81,479
    Maryland Humanities participants
  • $171,811
    Value of Volunteer Hours
  • 725
    Maryland Humanities in-person events
  • 873
    Maryland Humanities volunteers
  • 15,142
    views of Maryland Humanities videos on YouTube
  • 15,443
    followers of Maryland Humanities social media accounts

Statewide Map

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

View Full Map

MDHumanities_ImpactMap

  • We were really moved by the testimony of the veterans and impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the students.

    Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, parent
  • “[This panel provided] interesting insights into areas of our community that I don’t get by direct observation.”

    Pulitzer Panel attendee
  • We were enabled to go into the community and get information from real people. Also, the assignment was pretty subjective so we were able to take it in any way we liked. We led the projects and each one is so different from the next.

    Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, student participant
  • “[My favorite part of the tour was] visiting the Peabody Library and getting a few minutes with the librarian there who showed us a few interesting books from their collection.”

    Literary Mount Vernon Walking Tour Participant
  • “My participation continuance with the program comes from the great cohesiveness of our group… even when new people join… everyone’s ideas and work philosophies teach me something new about how to handle my work and my own life.”

    ​Literature & Medicine participant
  • “It is difficult to properly express our gratitude to Maryland Humanities for the help and support that we received through the grant-making process and through the project. The grant was crucial to the success of the project, and instrumental in bringing the poet (and 2016 MacArthur Fellow) Claudia Rankine to our campus. As the author of “Citizen: An America Lyric,” Rankine’s powerful reading and discussion of her work provided the anchor for our programming about public education and the role it plays in shaping the political citizen… (Maryland Humanities staff) were a constant source of encouragement and support–and we are proud to have been one of the projects that it recognized this year.”

    Dr. Kimberly Coles ~ Chair, Education and Citizenship Project Committee, University of Maryland College Park
  • “[The Walking Tour] was a delight: loved the audience-participation with the quotations; great history and anecdotes from the guides; they were excellent at asking provocative questions of the participants, eliciting thought and engagement; good pace, even for someone slow walking.”

    ​Literary Walking Tour Participant
  • I just wanted to tell you, I really enjoyed the visit…Your students were wonderful and the questions were fair and good. I enjoyed the experience and hope it will helpful to your classroom experience…I like it when students ask questions on things they may have wondered about. Again it was a wonderful experience with your students and a great project for them. To see and talk to real Vietnam vets is important to get real stories…it is a really worthwhile experience for the students “as well” as us Vietnam vets.

    Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, veteran participant
  • Humanities matter because humanity matters. The best thoughts, the highest questions, the most profound actions of courage and sacrifice are found in written accounts, art, and creative expressions throughout the ages. To study the humanities is to study oneself in a way that develops cultural literacy, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

    ​Maryland Humanities survey participant
  • “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.”

    Barbara Foster, Vice President, G.A.R. Post #25 Sumner Hall, Chestertown, MD, Host Site, Museum on Main Street
  • “I think the continual process of improving her research and presentation through the various levels of competition has been incredibly valuable. It has caused her to dig deeper in her research and build upon and refine her work and presentation.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent
  • “This oral history experience was amazing. I learned so much and will never forget this. I LOVED IT, I was super skeptical at first. I felt like we had a lack of planning but I think everything went so great.”

    ​Standing Together: Veterans Oral History Project, student participant
  • “[One Maryland One Book] is wonderful; enlightening, explorative, innovative, [and] educational.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant
  • “Being a part of the group provided me with a safe area to revisit my thoughts and feelings on my experience during the war.”

    Veterans Book Group participant
  • “[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.”

    Literary Mount Vernon Walking Tour Participant
Share your feedback