Blog

Executive Director Lindsey Baker checks in about Maryland Humanities' tangible steps and work towards operationalizing racial equity.

Elizabeth (Liz) Cannon resides in Frederick and works as a content management consultant. She served on the Board of Directors of Maryland Humanities from 2010-2019: she has donated to the organization since 2009. Cannon judged the Maryland History Day competition at both the local and state level for many years, and performed in the organization’s final year of its living history program, Chautauqua. She talked about the importance of the humanities.

Dr. Romuladus E. Azuine is the Executive Director of the Global Health and Education Projects, Inc., (GHEP) in Riverdale. GHEP works organization to increase awareness and education on the importance of humanities in public health. He writes about the relationship between the humanities and vaccine equity.

The Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University currently hosts Voices and Votes: Democracy in America. Creating their companion exhibit, Democracy in Delmarva, allowed the staff at the Nabb Center to explore their Nutters Election House collection, Wicomico County’s last surviving election house. Melinda McPeek, Nabb Center’s Curator of Exhibits and Engagement, writes about the process here.

On Saturday, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America—our current Museum on Main Street Tour of Maryland—arrived at The Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University. Each Voices and Votes host creates a local exhibit to complement the Smithsonian Institution exhibition. The Nabb Center presents Voices and Votes: Democracy on Delmarva, which explores expressions of democracy and highlights stories of rebellion, resistance, and perseverance that have shaped Delmarva’s past and present.  Melinda McPeek, the Nabb Center’s Curator of Exhibits and Engagement, gives us some behind the scenes info on the companion exhibit.

Bill Peak is the Communications Manager and all-encompassing “Library Guy” at the Talbot County Free Library on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He is the author of the novel The Oblate’s Confession (2014). Bill writes a monthly article for The Star-Democrat about working at the Talbot County Free Library. Here, he reviews The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay, our 2021 One Maryland One Book selection.

Kenneth Childs III of Hazelwood Elementary/Middle School and Lynn Rashid of Marriotts Ridge High School were named this year's Maryland History Day Middle and High School Teacher of the Year, respectively. Maryland History Day  also nominates these teachers for the Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award, facilitated by National History Day: results will be announced at the awards ceremony is this weekend.  Childs and Rashid discuss the Maryland History Day program.

Jennifer E. Cupp is a multipronged supporter of Maryland Humanities. The seven-time Maryland History Day volunteer has also been a donor since 2015. A Training Consultant with the Veteran Benefits Administration (part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), Jennifer spoke to us about what makes our organization unique and the importance of the humanities.

Our Museum on Main Street tour of Voices and Votes: Democracy in America has launched: the tour kicked off Allegany Museum! For Museum on Main Street, a Smithsonian exhibition tours the state. Local host venues and their partners present companion exhibits and programs: this year, these exhibits explore our democracy, examine our civic responsibility, and reflect on how we lift voices in our communities. Frostburg State University, one of Allegany Museum’s partners, created an exhibit that features memorabilia and Western Maryland people in public service. We spoke to Yelizaveta L Zakharova, Librarian at Frostburg’s Lewis J. Ort Library, about the companion exhibit and her experience.

Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. (GHEP) is a recipient of one of Maryland Humanities’ Voices and Votes Electoral Engagement Project  Grants. The organization will use the grant to host a a one-day virtual voter education and community conversation titled “U.S. Elections 101." This workshop will educate participants on key aspects of U.S. elections, including the Electoral College, rules for voter eligibility, resources for voter registrations, and the differences between the U.S. electoral system and systems in other parts of the world. The event is geared toward Black citizens and immigrant groups, though all are welcome. We spoke to Romuladus Arzuine, GHEP’s Founder and Executive Director.