August 2012 IN THIS ISSUE: God and Caesar in America: Why Mixing Religion and Politics Is Bad for Both This article by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell appeared in the March/ April 2012 edition of Foreign Affairs. It appears here with permission. Robert Putnam will deliver the 17th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities. Journey Stories tour................3 Sower Award Winner..........4 Free Land Chautauqua............5 Speakers Bureau auditions....5 $1 million Carson gift...........6 Celebration of Books...........6 Heritage tourism...............7 Capitol Forum survey results....7 Prime Time “Summer School”...8 Grants total $150,105............9 NHC recognizes donors........10 2012-13 Thompson Forum...12 17th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities Robert Putnam “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us” 7:30 p.m. October 2, 2012 Lied Center for Performing Arts, Lincoln, Nebraska The lecture is free and open to the public. Visit www.nebraskahumanities. org later this summer for details on programs related to the book “American Grace.” For tickets to the pre-lecture benefit dinner, contact the Nebraska Humanities Council at (402) 474-2131 ext 110 or julie@nebraskahumanities. org. Co-Sponsored by the University of Nebraska and the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. From the day the Pilgrims stepped off not even then), religious mobilization is now the Mayflower, religion has played a promi- tied directly to party politics. nent role in American public life. The faithful In fact, over the last 20 years, church athave been vital participants in nearly every tendance has become the main dividing line major social movement in U.S. history, pro- between Republican and Democratic voters. gressive as well as conservative. Still, the close (African Americans are a sharp, but singular, intertwining of religion exception; although most and politics in the last 40 Democratic voters are now years is unusual, espesecular, African Americans, cially in the degree of the the most loyal Democrats, politicization of religion are also the most reliitself. Indeed, religion’s gious group in the United influence on U.S. politics States.) The so-called God has hit a high-water mark, gap, between churchgoing especially on the right. Yet Republicans and secuat the same time, its role in lar white Democrats, rose Americans’ personal lives sharply throughout the is ebbing. As religion and 1990s and early years of politics have become enthis century. Before the tangled, many Americans, 2008 presidential election, especially younger ones, one team of consultants have pulled away from reeven specialized in teachligion. And that correlation ing Democratic candidates turns out to be causal, not how to “do God,” so they Robert D. Putnam coincidental. could eat into the RepubliIt is no surprise that cans’ support among religious religion and politics should be connected to Americans. Yet in 2008, the God gap remained some degree in a highly religious and demo- as wide as ever: according to data we colcratic nation. In the 19th century, U.S. political lected, among whites, 67 percent of weekly parties were divided along sectarian lines: churchgoers voted for Sen. John McCain, as pietistic versus liturgical, low church versus compared with 26 percent of those who never high church, Protestant versus Catholic. But attended church. whereas the past saw partisans of different The connection between religiosity and religions (often with an ethnic tinge) face off political conservatism has become so deeply in the political arena, today partisan divisions embedded in contemporary U.S. culture that are not defined by denomination; rather, they it is startling to recall just how new the alignpit religiously devout conservatives against ment is. In the 1960s, churchgoers were actusecular progressives. Moreover, to a degree Continued on page 2 not seen since at least the 1850s (and perhaps Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Continued from page 1 ally more likely than nonchurchgoers to be Democrats. Into the 1980s, there were still plenty of progressives in the pews on Sunday morning and plenty of conservatives who stayed home. The rather sudden shift since then has, and will have, both short-term and long-term implications for both politics and religion. For now, Republicans must seek to appease their fervently religious base without alienating a general electorate that increasingly finds the mixture of religion and politics distasteful. In the long run, the trend could undermine the historic role of religion in the United States, as younger generations reject organized religion itself. The country has arrived at today’s close nexus between religion and partisanship only recently, and understanding how it got there—and how the role of religion in the United States has changed in recent decades—will help explain where it might be headed. To get a better sense of how novel the present political-religious landscape is, we must go back to the 1950s. That decade was highly religious; indeed, some historians argue that it was the most religious in all of American history. Of course, there are many ways to gauge national trends in religiosity, but for decades, one Gallup poll question, “Is religion’s influence on American life increasing or decreasing?” has proved a finely tuned seismometer of religious tremors. In 1957, 69 percent of those Americans surveyed told Gallup that they thought the influence of religion in American life was on the rise. Only 14 percent said it was declining. Every objective measure indicates that they were right: more Americans than ever were attending religious services, more churches were being built to accommodate them, and more books of Scripture were being sold and read. But in President Dwight Eisenhower’s America, religion had no partisan overtones. Ike was as popular among those who never darkened the door of a church (or synagogue, and so on) as among churchgoers. Then came the 1960s and a dramatic turn in attitudes toward authority and especially toward conventional sexual morality, an issue tightly connected to religious belief. In just four years, between 1969 and 1973, the percentage of Americans who approved of premarital sex doubled, from one-fourth to one-half. That increase was stunning and almost entirely concentrated among the baby boomers, who were then coming of age. By 1970, fully 75 percent of Americans surveyed concluded that religion’s influence in American life was waning. Collapsing church attendance confirmed their view. Yet even then, religiosity did not skew more to the right than the left; neither during the religious boom of the 1950s nor in the religious bust of the 1960s was religion linked to partisan politics. Nor did the 1960s put the United States on an inexorable path toward secularism. Far from it: instead, among more conservative Americans, the moral earthquake triggered a return to religion, “The country has arrived at today’s close nexus between religion and partisanship only recently, and understanding how it got there—and how the role of religion in the United States has changed in recent decades—will help explain where it might be headed.” or at least a particular type of religion. Beginning in the mid-1970s, in an aftershock to the 1960s, conservative forms of religion, especially evangelical Protestantism, expanded. At the same time as liberal Protestantism and churchgoing Catholicism were virtually collapsing, many Americans who sought a reaffirmation of traditional norms, especially when it came to sex and “family values,” found what they were looking for in evangelical Protestantism. The new evangelicals also broke free of the self-imposed cultural exile of their fundamentalist forebears. They did not shun a sinful world but instead sought to change it, including its politics. An early harbinger of evangelicalism’s new political role was the 1976 presidential campaign of the Democrat Jimmy Carter, who spoke openly of himself as a “born-again Christian,” a label once unthinkable in mainstream U.S. politics. At the other end of the political spectrum, meanwhile, moral conservatives banded together to fight the Equal Rights Amendment, gay rights, and abortion. Evangelicalism began morph( Page 2 ) ing from a purely religious movement into a political one that allied devout Americans from many denominations, including Catholics and Mormons. Once more, Gallup’s seismometer noted the increasing prominence of religion. In 1976, it registered that 44 percent of respondents thought religion was gaining influence, and 45 percent thought it was losing influence. Then, in his 1980 presidential campaign, the Republican Ronald Reagan actively courted the religious vote with considerable success. Unlike Eisenhower in the 1950s or even Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the 1970s, Reagan and the Republican presidential candidates that followed him began to pick up the support of formerly Democratic evangelicals in the South and observant Catholics in the North. The first aftershock to the 1960s thus had two components: one religious (the rise of evangelicals) and the other political (the rise of the religious right). The political movement continues, but the religious dimension ended in the early 1990s. As a fraction of the total population (and, even more dramatically, as a fraction of Americans under 30), the number of evangelicals has been declining for nearly 20 years and is back to where it was at the beginning of the 1970s. Although many of the political organizations associated with the religious right, such as the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition, have disappeared or faded into near irrelevance, their legacy remains strong: a Republican activist base that advocates both moral traditionalism and a greater role for religion in the public square. The rise of the religious right echoes in some respects a common theme in U.S. history. Most major social movements, both progressive and conservative, have included important religious themes: “the right to life” and “family values” today, abolitionism and prohibition yesterday. But today’s unusually intimate ties between organized religion and one particular political party have had unintended consequences for both politics and religion. Robert Putnam will deliver the Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities Oct. 2 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. For more information on the lecture and related events, see the article on the next page. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 “Journey Stories” touring Nebraska through March 8 The Smithsonian Institution’s Traveling Exhibition “Journey Stories” made its Nebraska debut in June at Kearney’s Trails & Rails Museum. The exhibition, which will travel the state, explores the flow of American history through the lens of mobility— coming to America, traveling across America, and the influence of railroad, automobile and airplane travel. The Trails & Rails Museum, located on the original Mormon Trail, is made up of historic buildings housing different exhibits on the history of wagon, train and automobile travel in and through Buffalo County. Among the buildings are the Union Pacific Depot, 1850s Boyd Ranch House, 1880s Loup River Freighters Hotel, 1871 District No. 1 School House, and the 1898 German-Baptist Mission Church, which housed the “Journey Stories” exhibition. Special events during the exhibition’s stay in Kearney focused on the transportation history of agriculture, immigration and the Lincoln Highway, and encompassed the museum’s annual Wagons West Celebration. “Journey Stories” continues at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte through Aug. 25, Cozad’s Putnam to deliver 2012 Governor’s Lecture Harvard scholar Robert Putnam, the Malkin Professor of Public Policy, will deliver the 17th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities on Oct. 2 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln. The lecture opens the 201213 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. The lecture series will focus on religion, rights, and politics. Presented by the Nebraska Humanities Council and Foundation, with co-sponsors the University of Nebraska and the E.N. Thompson Forum, the 7:30 p.m. lecture will explore religion in American life today, the topic of Putnam’s most recent book, “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us.” Putnam has served as an adviser to presidents and national leaders around the world. The London Sunday Times has called him “the most influential academic in the world today.” His book “American Grace” won the American Political Association’s 2011 Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award for the best book on government, politics, or international affairs. Students will have the opportunity to meet with Putnam at UNL during his visit. Before Putnam’s lecture, the Ne- “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us,” by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell, will be the subject of the Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities. braska Humanities Council and Foundation will host their benefit dinner at the Embassy Suites to support NHC’s statewide programming. Tickets for the dinner will be available beginning Aug. 20. For details, contact the Nebraska Humanities Council at (402) 474-2131 or at [email protected]. ( Page 3 ) An overturned wagon was one of the hazards of early pioneer travel across the country. This accident was in Eastern Oregon. Photo courtesy of Museum on Main Street. 100th Meridian Museum (Aug. 30-Oct. 6), Washington County Historical Association in Fort Calhoun (Oct. 15-Nov. 17), Madison County Museum in Madison (Nov. 25-Dec. 31), the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln (Jan. 7-18), and Alliance’s Knight Museum and Sandhills Center (Jan. 28-March 8). Visit www.nebraskajourneystories.org to view a two-minute video describing the exhibit, learn more about the host museums and their special events, leave your own story or an image of an important journey in your life, check out a calendar of events, and read the latest news from the Nebraska tour. One of the historical documents posted there warns overland travelers that “there are several different routes which may be traveled with wagons, each having its advocates in persons directly or indirectly interested in attracting the tide of emigration and travel over them. Information concerning these routes coming from strangers living or owning property near them, from agents of steam-boats or railways, or from other persons connected with transporation companies, should be received with great caution, and never without corraborating evidence from disinterested sources.” “Journey Stories” is made possible in Nebraska with support from Union Pacific, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the State of Nebraska, the Nebraska Rural Radio Network-KRVN, KTIC and KNEB, Brown Transfer Company, and the “We the People” initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Judi gaiashkibos to receive 2012 Sower Award Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs (NCIA), will receive the 2012 Sower Award in the Humanities. gaiashkibos will be honored Oct. 2 at a benefit dinner at Lincoln’s Embassy Suites, in conjunction with the 17th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities. Harvard scholar Robert Putnam will deliver the free public lecture that evening at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on the topic of his 2010 award-winning book, “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us,” which explores the role of religion in American public life. Putnam’s lecture will open the 2012-13 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues, a series on religion, rights, and politics. NCIA director since 1995, gaiashkibos has a bachelor’s degree in human relations and a master’s degree in management, both from Doane College. She is a national leader in Indian affairs, known for her focus on state and tribal relations, strategic planning, policy development, leadership and mentoring. Under her leadership, the NCIA developed and hosts the annual Chief Standing Bear breakfast, highlighting issues of equality and attended by hundreds of Nebraskans of all ages and backgrounds. gaiashkibos was nominated for the Sower Award by former honorees Chuck Trimble of Omaha and Don Pederson of Lincoln. In his nomination, Trimble said she had transformed the Indian Affairs commission “from an office-bound little bureaucracy to a dynamic organization advocating and maintaining positive State-Tribal relations, and reaching out to promote interracial harmony and good community relations.” Pederson, a former state senator, said that during his 10 years on the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, gaiashkibos “gave our committee a better understanding of the issues facing Native Americans,” and that “the humanities have been enriched by Judi’s efforts.” In a June 2012 profile of gaiashkibos in L Magazine, she describes herself as a “junkyard dog” whose tough upbringing in the shadow of a Norfolk salvage yard helped instill a survivor spirit. A member of the Ponca Tribe and a direct descen- Judi gaiashkibos will receive the 2012 Sower Award in the Humanities. She is executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. Photo courtesy of Frank Eleker. dent of Chief Smokemaker, a colleague of Chief Standing Bear, she derives inspiration from Standing Bear’s story, which led to the first legal recognition of Indians as people. She has been closely involved with Native Daughters, a project of UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications, which includes a publication featuring stories of remarkable Native women past and present and an online curriculum guide funded by the NHC. gaiashkibos is past president of the Governor’s Interstate Indian Council and serves on several state advisory and nonprofit boards. She received the Douglas County Historical Society’s 2009 Gate Keeper Award in recognition of her “opening new doorways in the spirit of Unity, Equality and Understanding.” She consults with a variety of Native and nonNative organizations and has served as advisor on a range of projects in Nebraska and nationwide, especially in areas of Indian history, culture, law and protocols. The Humanities Council annually honors individuals, institutions, businesses and communities with its Sower Award for contributions to public understanding of the humanities in Nebraska, based on nominations and letters of support from the citizens of Nebraska. The award is an original bronze sculpture by Nebraska-born artist Sandra Dunn Mahoney. Tickets for the Oct. 2 pre-lecture reception and dinner, including presentation of the Sower Award, will be available for purchase in late August. The 2012 Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities is presented by the Nebraska Humanities Council and Foundation with co-sponsors the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues and the University of Nebraska. For more details visit www. nebraskahumanities.org. Previous Sower Award in the Humanities recipients: Individuals: Paul Olson, Joe Seger, Keith Blackledge, Bernice Slote, Gene Bunge, Larry Wewel, Robert Audi, Walter Friedlander, Robert Manley, Frederick Luebke, Rhonda Seacrest, Jack McBride, Marion Marsh Brown, Morrie Tuttle, Nancy Duncan, State Sen. LaVon Crosby, Ron Hull, Jack Campbell, E.N. “Jack” Thompson, Ron Naugle, Don Welch, Gary Moulton, Ted Kooser, Charles “Chuck” Trimble, Richard Holland, Don Pederson and John Gottschalk. Institutions: InterNorth Foundation, Septemberfest Committee of Omaha, Holdrege Public Library, Woods Charitable Fund, Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation, Cooper Foundation, Commercial Federal Savings and Loan, Peter Kiewit Foundation, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, El Museo Latino, Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs, Beatrice Public Library, the Omaha World Herald, and Nebraska Educational Telecommunications. Communities: Seward, Oakland, Chadron, Verdigre, Henderson, Aurora, David City, Central City, Cozad, Gering and Scottsbluff. ( Page 4 ) Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 More than 1,800 people attended the “Free Land” Chautauqua in Beatrice Strong winds and the threat of storms could not temper the excitement surrounding the debut of the new Nebraska Chautauqua series, Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America, hosted May 21-25 by Homestead National Monument and the community of Beatrice. The Chautauqua was held in conjunction with Homestead National Monument’s national signature event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act on May 20. More than 1,800 people from Beatrice and the surrounding area experienced the educational entertainment offered by the “Free Land” Chautauqua, focusing on the collective impacts of the Homestead Act, Pacific Railway Act, and the Morrill Act on Nebraska and the Great Plains. In addition to wellreceived workshops by Chautauqua scholars and activities surrounding the anniversary of the Homestead Act (available for viewing courtesy of the National Archives), the public enjoyed compelling portrayals of Grenville Dodge, George Washington Carver, Chief Standing Bear, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Willa Cather, each introduced by wise-cracking moderator Mark Twain. Paxton Williams portrays George Washington Carver at the “Free Land” Chautauqua in Beatrice. More than 1,800 people attended. The “Free Land” Chautauqua is presented by the Nebraska Humanities Council and supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Stay connected with the Nebraska Humanities Council to find out where the “Free Land” Chautauqua will be in the summer of 2013! If your community has interest in hosting Chautauqua in the summer of 2014 or 2015, contact Kristi Hayek at [email protected]. Sept. 1 deadline for NHC board nominations The Nebraska Humanities Council is seeking nominations for its board of directors. The deadline for nominees is Sept. 1. NHC board members are selected statewide from nominees who show a strong interest in the humanities and the cultural life of Nebraska. Efforts are made to find community leaders from the state’s diverse geographic, occupational and ethnic constituencies. The council seeks a balance between involvement in the humanities and other professional, business or community pursuits. Council members are expected to attend three board meetings a year, serve on one or more subcommittees, assist in private fundraising, make a financial contribution to the council, review grant requests, promote public awareness of the NHC and its objec- tives, and attend and evaluate programs funded by the council. Among the programs that the council supports are Prime Time Family Reading Time, Chautauqua, the Humanities Resource Center and Speakers Bureau, the “Nebraska Conversations” civil discussion program, Capitol Forum on America’s Future and the annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities. For a full description of NHC programs, visit www.nebraskahumanities.org. Nominations for the board of directors must be postmarked no later than Sept. 1. For more information or a nomination form, contact the Nebraska Humanities Council at 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 330, Lincoln, NE 68508; call (402) 474-2131; fax (402) 474-4852 or e-mail [email protected]. ( Page 5 ) NHC to audition applicants for Speakers Bureau The Nebraska Humanities Council will audition applicants for the Humanities Resource Center Speakers Bureau this fall. We will give special attention to speakers with topics exploring immigration, aging, technology or the environment. We also are interested in presentations that focus on such notable Nebraskans as Chief Standing Bear, Red Cloud, George and Sarah Joslyn, Loren Eiseley, John G. Neihardt, George Norris, Tillie Olsen, William Jennings Bryan, and Robert Henri. Also of interest are talks designed for young audiences and schools (K-12). If you are interested in becoming a Speakers Bureau presenter, send the following to the NHC office by Sept. 1: • A description of your proposed topic (200-250 words) and a bibliography of sources. • A biography or resume (two pages or less) detailing your expertise in your proposed topic. • One or two letters of recommendation describing your ability to address a general public audience and to stimulate discussion. Individuals submitting materials will be notified as to whether or not they will be invited to audition. Those selected will be asked to give an abbreviated version of their proposed talk (15 to 20 minutes with an additional 5 to 10 minutes for discussion with the audience). The audience will be composed of NHC staff and board, program users, humanities scholars, and others who will assess the substance and presentation of each proposed topic. NHC speakers receive an honorarium and mileage for each talk given through the Speakers Bureau. For current Speakers Bureau programs and policies, visit www.nebraskahumanities.org and click on Speakers & Resources. For more information contact NHC Associate Director Mary Yager at 402-474-2131 ext 103 or mary@ nebraskahumanities.org. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Cultural Endowment receives $1 million Carson gift On March 16, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment (NCE) announced the receipt of a $1 million gift from the John W. Carson Foundation. This generous donation will help support the arts and humanities in Nebraska. Six-time Emmy winner Johnny Carson grew up in Norfolk, Neb., and for 30 years was host of the “The Tonight Show.” He died in 2005. The Nebraska Cultural Endowment is the private partner in a private-public partnership with the State of Nebraska created to provide a livelihood for the arts and humanities in Nebraska. The NCE’s mission is to cultivate a legacy of stability, advocacy and leadership in the arts and humanities. In 2003, Johnny Carson donated $500,000 to the NCE in response to a National Endowment of the Humanities challenge grant. According to the Carson Foundation, Carson believed that it was important to support the NCE and was impressed with the work the endowment does in our state. In 2010, the Carson Foundation donated $250,000 in Carson’s honor in response to the Nebraska Legislature’s matching grant program for the NCE. The foundation continues its support with the Representatives of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment (NCE), the Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) and the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC) gathered in March in the rotunda of the State Capitol for the announcement of the $1 million gift from the John W. Carson Foundation. From left they are Chris Sommerich of the NHC, Suzanne Wise of the NAC, and Paula Pflueger, Pamela Snow and Terry Ferguson of the NCE. recent $1 million donation. The private-public partnership was created in 1998 through enabling legislation that set aside $5 million for the benefit of the arts and humanities in Nebraska. In 2008, the Legislature added $5 million to the public fund over a period of years. Income from today’s $7 million public fund is available to the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Humanities Council for programming when matched by private contributions to the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. For more information on the endowment, contact Pamela Snow at (402) 595-2722 or [email protected]. Celebration of Nebraska Books Nov. 3 in Lincoln The 2012 Celebration of Nebraska Books is set for 3:30-6:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Museum of Nebraska History, 15th and P streets in downtown Lincoln. Free and open to the public, the event will feature this year’s One Book One Nebraska selection, honor winners of the 2012 Jane Geske Award and the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, and announce the choice for the 2013 One Book One Nebraska. This is the eighth year of One Book One Nebraska, which celebrates the literary richness of our state by selecting and promoting a title for Nebraska citizens to read and discuss. Joe Starita’s “‘I Am a Man’: Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice” is the 2012 One Book One Nebraska. (Visit http://onebook.nebraska.gov/2012/ index.aspx.) Libraries and other organizations statewide have hosted activities and events to encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss “I Am a Man,” including 13 NHC Speakers Bureau presentations by Starita. A special activity to honor the book will highlight the Nov. 3 celebration. The 2012 Nebraska Book Awards honor authors and publishers of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2011. Winning authors will read from their work and sign copies of their books. The Jane Geske Award will be presented to an organization, business, library, school, association or group that has made an exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries or literature in Nebraska. The award was established in recognition of Geske’s passion for books and her contributions to the well-being of Nebraska libraries. Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, former director of the Nebraska Library Commission, and a ( Page 6 ) long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities. The Nebraska Center for the Book’s annual meeting also will be held Nov. 3. An awards reception with the winning authors, book signings, and announcement of the 2013 selection for One Book One Nebraska will conclude the festivities. The 2012 Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Humanities Council, Nebraska Library Commission, and Nebraska Cultural Endowment, in partnership with the Nebraska State Historical Society and Museum of Nebraska History. For details, contact Mary Jo Ryan, (402) 471-3434 or (800) 307-2665, maryjo. [email protected] or visit www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov or www.facebook.com/NebraskaCenterfortheBook. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Nebraska high school students and teachers attended Capitol Forum in March. Weapons proliferation still students’ concern The Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island recreates a railroad town of the pioneer era. This is one of many examples of heritage tourism sites outlined in a recent study. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Tourism. Humanities Council to participate in growing field of heritage tourism As the Nebraska Humanities Council explores its role in the realm of cultural tourism, the recent release of a study called “Heritage Tourism in Nebraska” provides an excellent place to begin. The study found that heritage tourism (a large component of the broader field of cultural tourism) generates an impressive $196 million in revenue per year in Nebraska. Researchers studied the economic impact of visitors to historic sites and museums in 2011, and found it to be a large and growing portion of Nebraska’s tourism industry. The study also found that more than 3,000 jobs in the state are supported by heritage tourism, and $16.4 million in state and local tax revenue is collected annually. More than 220 museums and historic sites in Nebraska, as well as hundreds of preserved historic properties, provide a rich historical context to the heritage traveler. Heritage tourism complements other types of travel destinations and activities. The report, prepared by University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, was commissioned by two state agencies: Nebraska State Historical Society (NSHS) and the DED’s Division of Travel and Tourism. The Nebraska Humanities Council was a member of the steering committee that directed the study. It combines information from on-site data collection and meetings with museums, heritage attractions and organizations statewide. As the first comprehensive analysis of heritage tourism activity in the state, the report also includes recommendations for sustaining and increasing Nebraska’s heritage tourism industry, such as building capacity, collaboration and interactivity. With the large number of historic sites and museums, it is also critical to preserve and enhance these existing tourism assets and capitalize on them. A number of “best practices” were identified statewide. Funding for the report came from Nebraska DED through federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and a grant to the NSHS from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The report is available in hard copy and online at www.nebraskahistory.org (search “Tourism”) or industry.visitnebraska.org. ( Page 7 ) Nebraska high school students continue to be concerned about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, according to the results of a recent survey. Nearly 450 students statewide completed the survey in April and May expressing their concerns, priorities and visions for U.S. foreign policy as part of the 14th Annual Nebraska Capitol Forum on America’s Future, co-sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council and the office of Secretary of State John Gale. The survey asks students to rank four proposals for future U.S. foreign policy, which provide the core for the Capitol Forum program. The students’ views in 2012 remain consistent with 2011 that the main objective should be to protect the U.S. homeland. The 2012 students, however, favored protecting U.S. global interests over building a more cooperative world as their second priority, a switch from last year’s group. When asked what concerns them the most, 41 percent of respondents agreed their top concern is that nuclear, biological and chemical weapons will proliferate and end up in the hands of terrorists. While the percentage has varied from year to year, this has consistently remained the students’ top concern since 2002. For complete details on what Nebraska high school students have to say about options for U.S. foreign policy, visit www. nebraskahumanities.org and go to the Capitol Forum page. Capitol Forum is a Choices for the 21st Century project, an outreach of Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies. The 2012 Capitol Forum was funded in part by the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Nebraska, Janet D. Miller, and A to Z Printing. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Prime Time “Summer School” offered in Norfolk When Title I funds were cut for Norfolk Public Schools and their traditional summer school program was eliminated, Reading Recovery teacher Lisa Guenther contacted the Nebraska Humanities Council to see if Prime Time Family Reading Time could be offered during the summer months. “I realize this is unorthodox for Prime Time,” she wrote. “However, the mission of Prime Time is to enjoy books and get people using the library. I have been brainstorming what we can do for these families to keep them reading over the summer. I have been involved in summer school and I know how it helps these students.” Guenther called her idea a “pipe dream,” but the Nebraska Humanities Council saw it as an opportunity to design a unique summer Prime Time to encourage Title I students and their families to keep reading during break to avoid the “summer slide” in their reading ability. Prime Time is a family literacy program designed to help strengthen participants’ interest and skills in reading and talking about books. The series is offered free to all families whose children ages 5 to 10 struggle with reading. Since 2002, more than 4,500 Nebraskans have participated in one or more of the 85 bilingual and English-only Prime Time series held in 14 public libraries, nine elementary schools and three community centers throughout the state. Sixteen Prime Time series have been offered by Norfolk Public Schools since 2006. Allison Suckstorf and Jose Hernandez lead a Prime Time discussion over “The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit” at Westside Elementary School in Norfolk. “Cold ice cream treats, stories, enjoyment of books and door prize books…it doesn’t get better than that!” – Lisa Guenther, Prime Time coordinator, Norfolk Westside Elementary, 1703 W. Philip Ave., hosted summer Prime Time Tuesday evenings June 5 through July 24, in collaboration with Norfolk Public Library’s summer reading program. Families discussed issues such as compassion, courage, curiosity and responsibility while also learning about library resources, community services, and favorite books Prime Time fall schedule: Prime Time Family Reading Time continues this fall with programs at the following sites. • • • • • • • • • Grant Elementary School in Norfolk, 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 4-Oct. 9 Lakota Lutheran Center in Scottsbluff, noon Sundays, Sept. 30-Nov. 4 South Omaha Library, 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 1-Nov. 5 Cather Branch Library in Omaha, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 2-Nov. 6 Grand Island Public Library, 6 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 4-Nov. 8 Washington Branch Library in Omaha, 10 a.m. Saturdays, Oct. 13-Nov. 17 Westside Elementary School in Norfolk, 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 23-Nov. 27 Eiseley Branch Library in Lincoln, Fall 2012 Washington Elementary School in Norfolk, Fall 2012 ( Page 8 ) from librarians, school principals, city police, firefighters, and elected officials. Prime Time in the summer looked a little different from Prime Time during the school year. It was offered eight weeks instead of six. Families from Westside, Washington, Grant and other Norfolk elementary schools were invited to attend. Ice cream treats were provided and preschool children were welcome in the main storytelling program, with coloring sheets available, so they could participate with their families. “Summer Prime Time has been a boost to the families that are attending,” said Guenther. “Families are enjoying the books, discussions and activities. Norfolk is very thankful to be able to offer summer Prime Time in addition to the school year Prime Time at four of our elementary schools. Prime Time is helping create a community of readers who enjoy reading and realize the important value reading has for students and families.” Prime Time Family Reading Time is a nationally recognized program created by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. In Nebraska, it is sponsored and coordinated by the Nebraska Humanities Council with funding from the State of Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Sponsors in Norfolk include Norfolk Public Schools, Read Aloud Norfolk, Wal-Mart, and The Connie Fund. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Council awards grants totaling $150,105 The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) recently awarded 42 grants totaling $150,105. The grant recipients and the amount of each grant: Project Interfaith, Omaha, $12,000 for RavelUnravel, an interactive website to share video interviews and foster discussion of religious and spiritual faith, belief, stereotypes and diversity. Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival, Seward, $12,000 to help fund participation by children’s book authors, illustrators and literacy experts in a three-day festival for children, youth and adults. Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha, $12,000 for “Remembrance, Creativity and Transformation,” series of school residencies with Hawthorne Quartet and artist Jim Schantz providing background on the Holocaust and discussing the meaning and importance of creative freedom. Kearney Area Community Foundation, $10,000 for the National Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration. Metropolitan Community College Foundation, Omaha, $8,000 to help fund participation by four playwrights at 7th annual Great Plains Theatre Conference. Omaha Table Talk, $6,740 to extend its successful dinner-conversation discussion format on topics of social justice, race and ethnicity to sites in Lincoln, Fremont and Grand Island. Omaha Creative Institute, $6,500 to develop “Conversations on a Bus,” an exhibit for display at five locations in Omaha area. Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities, Lincoln, $6,000 to develop an hour-long video featuring Nebraskans discussing issues of sustainability for use as a stimulus to conversation in college and high school classrooms and community venues. Main Street Beatrice, $5,400 to bring an NEH On the Road exhibition to the community with related publicity and programming. Panhandle Resource Conservation and Development Inc., Scottsbluff, $5,000 for the Intertribal Gathering at Fort Robinson State Historical Park. University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of History, $5,000 to support fifth Pauley Symposium on History, Truth and Reconciliation. Hildegard Center for the Arts, Lincoln, $5,000 for “Heroes Among Us” after-school workshops for at-risk youth at People’s City Mission, Cedars Youth Services, Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach, and Lighthouse. Creighton University’s Center for Health Policy and Ethics, Omaha, $5,000 to help fund 22nd Annual Women and Health Lecture with Dr. Tess Gerritsen. Metropolitan Community College Foundation, Omaha, $4,635 to help fund the Winter Count Buffalo Robe Project during the summer and fall 2012. Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Omaha, $4,500 to help fund the 2012 summer pre-show seminars for the 26th annual Shakespeare on the Green and the 7th annual fall tour for middle and high school students and teachers statewide. Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival, McCook, $3,500 for the festival. Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries, $3,210 to bring “The Wartime Escape” exhibit to Bennett Martin Library for middle school field trips and the public. The Great American Comedy Festival, Norfolk, $3,000 to help fund annual Youth Camp in conjunction with comedy festival. Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, Lincoln, $3,000 to help fund planning to explore elements necessary for creation of a Standing Bear Trail. Kent Bellows Studio and Center for Visual Arts, Omaha, $2,500 for program resulting in creation of community-centered murals. Conference for Inclusive Communities, Omaha, $2,500 for the summer IncluCity I residential program for youth. The UNION for Contemporary Art, Omaha, $1,500 to help fund one community presentation about craft and contemporary art. Caring People Sudan, Omaha, $1,500 for presentation about connections and differences between Nuer and Nebraskan cultures. Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation, Red Cloud, $1,500 to help fund poets and scholars at 57th annual Willa Cather Spring Conference. Nebraskans for Civic Reform, Lincoln, $1,500 to support development of civic engagement program and curriculum for K-12 students for pilot program in the Lincoln Public Schools. Sandhills Discovery, Ainsworth, $1,500 to help fund Doug Watson as Will Rogers at conference. Southeast Community College, Lincoln, $1,500 to help fund narration, interpretation and translation for musical demonstrations by ensemble from Tuva. Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation, $1,500 for school reunion celebration. Office of the Capitol Commission, Lincoln, $1,500 for Lincoln monument centennial. Omaha Public Library, $1,500 for 140th anniversary community conversations. Flatwater Shakespeare Company, Lincoln, $1,200 for classes leading up to youth productions of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” this summer. Crane River Theater Company, Kearney, $1,200 for panel discussion on “Two Rooms.” Nebraska Archaeological Society, $1,100 for 2012 Nebraska Artifact Show. Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, $1,000 to help fund panelist for meeting and conference on history of Missouri River. Village of Ohiowa, $1,000 to help support living-history demonstrations at community’s 125th Anniversary Celebration. NET Foundation for Television, Lincoln, $1,000 for hour-long documentary on history of death penalty in Nebraska. Joslyn Castle Trust, Omaha, $1,000 for “A Wilde Time at the Castle” festival. Indian Center, Scottsbluff, $1,000 for Circle the Bluffs Traditional Powwow. ( Page 9 ) RavelUnravel explores spiritual identities RavelUnravel explores the tapestry of religious and spiritual identities that make up our communities and the complexities of how we construct and deconstruct identity. View the stories that make up RavelUnravel and add to the movement by sharing your own. Go to ravelunravel.com. Nebraska Association of the Deaf, Lincoln, $850 for its conference, June 6-9, 2013, in Omaha. Durham Museum, Omaha, $750 to support Civil Warfocused lecture series. Tilden Public Library, $520 for a Golden Age Expo. Heartland Family Services, Omaha, $500 to help fund a speaker for 2nd annual North Omaha Summer Arts Festival. Grant applications are available online at www.nebraskahumanities.org. Major grants are for more than $1,500 with two grant cycles a year. Application deadlines are March 1 and Aug. 1. Mini grants are for $1,500 or less with six grant cycles. Application deadlines are Jan. 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, Sept. 1 and Nov. 1. Media and website/digital grant deadlines are Jan. 15 and June 15. For details on applying for a grant, visit the website or call Mary Yager, Erika Hamilton or Kristi Hayek at (402) 4742131. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 NEBRASKA HUMANITIES COUNCIL & FOUNDATION DONORS Gifts received between February 1, 2012 and May 31, 2012 Many donors make multiple gifts throughout the year. Donors are listed at the level of their cumulative giving for the year in the NHC Annual Report. Join these generous contributors and help to cultivate an understanding of our history and culture. Thank you for becoming part of our mission! Organization Donors Gifts of $5,000-$9,999 Lincoln Financial Foundation Inc. Gifts of $1,000-$4,999 Lockwood Foundation Tri-County Board of Realtors Inc. Gifts of $500-$999 Grand Island Community Foundation Lincoln Community Foundation Inc. Jane D. & Thompson H. Rogers Foundation Gifts of $100-$499 Creighton University – Jesuit Community Gifts of $50-$99 Friends of the Columbus Public Library Hartington Friends of the Library Individual Donors Gifts of $1,000-$2,499 Joanne Berkshire Sam & Lynn Marchese Pat & Don Kingsley Don & June Pederson Patty & Earl Scudder Christopher & Vicki Sommerich Gifts of $500-$999 Connie & Bill Adams Kit & Gerald B. Dimon Marilyn & Ron Hayek Meg & Jim Lauerman Roger & Carol Lewis Mike & Lin Simmonds Gloria Wolbach Gifts of $250-$499 Dr. George & Colleen Adam Mr. & Mrs. Harold W. Andersen Mary Ann Blackledge in memory of Keith L. Blackledge Todd & Debora Carpenter - Subway James P. & Mary Jeanne Cooke Jessica Coope & Stephen Hilliard Susan & John Hoppe Mark & Deanna Hutchins Mary McNamee & Kieth Simmons Ann Rawley Judge William B. Rist Brenda Robinson in memory of Cal Robinson Joel Russell Pamela H. & Marcus J. Snow Mary A. Swanson Dr. Hal & Bette Anne Thaut Red & Jann Thomas Dr. & Mrs. William G. Thomas III Richard & Karen Vierk Susan Watts Justin & Kili Wenburg Gifts of $100-$249 Valerie J. Able Dr. & Mrs. Gordon D. Adams Dean & Gaylene Aden Tom & Jane Allman Phyllis Aron Mr. & Mrs. Frederick N. Backer Pam Baker Lyle W. Barksdale Fredda M.P. Bartenbach Kathleen Bassett Carrie Bence Deb & Tom Berger J.S. & Margaret Berry Dr. Vince & Vicki Bjorling William & Martha Boyd David & Lisa Brandt John & Beatty Brasch Col. & Mrs. Gale Bullard Duane & Jacqueline Burns Clay & Dale Capek Ulysses & Georgene Carlini Thom & Barbara Christensen Dale & Joan Clark Cloyd & Linda Clark Karen A. Colleran Vision Circle of Donors We invite you to join the Vision Circle of donors to the Nebraska Humanities Council. Your tax-deductible contribution of $1,000 or more will honor nearly four decades of vital humanities programming made possible by generous Nebraskans and will help ensure continued statewide access to these programs. We are grateful to the following individuals for supporting current programs by joining the Vision Circle in the past year. We encourage you to do the same. Steven & Sara Achelpohl Catherine Angle Mogens & Cindy Bay Joanne Berkshire Kit & Gerald B. Dimon Roy & Gloria Dinsdale Kate & Sandy Dodge Lana & Lon Flagtwet Mitzi Fox Carol Gendler Chris & Ron Harris Marilyn & Ron Hayek Linda Hillegass & Jim McKee Richard D. Holland Jane Renner Hood Taylor Keen Kevin & Shannon Cooksley Carol Cope Jack & Judy Crowley Tom & Marianne Culhane Spencer & Vivian Davis Dr. Dan & Trudie DePasquale Ron & Lori DePue Robert & Anne Diffendal Alice M. Dittman Rosemary & Art Dobson Charles & Linda Duckworth Dr. John R. Dungan Rupert & Ruth Dunklau Erick & Harriet Egertson Dr. Ali Eminov Carl & Janet Eskridge Ellen & David Feingold Richard & Beverly Fellman Terry & Catherine Ferguson Molly Fisher Kathleen & Donovan Foote Dr. Mark Foxall ( Page 10 ) Pat & Don Kingsley Catherine D. Lang Roger & Carol Lewis Sam & Lynn Marchese Angenette & Bob Meaney Janet D. Miller Shirley & Dan Neary Michael J. Nolan Diane Oldfather Natalie & Sam Olson Don & June Pederson Kim M. Robak & William J. Mueller Brenda Robinson in memory of Cal Robinson Lynn & Dana Roper Joel Russell Barb & Ron Schaefer Bill & Ruth Scott Patty & Earl Scudder James & Rhonda Seacrest Chuck Shoemaker & Lynne Friedewald Mike & Lin Simmonds Christopher & Vicki Sommerich Gene & Ann Spence Dr. & Mrs. William G. Thomas III Gail & Irv Veitzer Susan Watts Ross & Judy Wilcox Gloria Wolbach Richard & Linda French Allen T. Freye Mrs. Marti Fritzen Wayne & Celia Ganow Wayne & Kathy Gappa Georgia Glass Mike Gloor Kay Lynn & John Goldner Amy Haddad Mrs. Rachael L. Hamilton Walter & Marijane Hancock Terry & Judy Haney Roger & Jackie Harned Lavon & Robin Heidemann Endowment is unique partnership The Nebraska Cultural Endowment (NCE) is the private partner in a private-public partnership with the State of Nebraska created to provide financial stability for the arts and humanities. The Cultural Endowment supports the statewide educational programs and projects of the Nebraska Humanities Council and the Nebraska Arts Council. Qualifying contributions to the NCE are matched by income from a state fund. For details, contact Pamela Snow at (402) 595-2722 or phsnow@nebraskaculturalendowment. org or visit www.nebraskaculturalendowment.org. Nebraska Humanities Council Newsletter / August 2012 Give to Lincoln Day a huge success, raising $6,540 for NHC Thanks to thousands of donors across Lincoln, Give to Lincoln Day was a huge success, raising $1.33 million in 24 hours, including a $200,000 match from the Lincoln Community Foundation (LCF). What an amazing outpouring of generosity! Special thanks go to the 42 donors who helped the Nebraska Humanities Council and Foundation raise $6,540, including an LCF match of $990. These gifts allow NHC’s core programs, including Prime Time Family Reading Time, the Speakers Bureau, and Chautauqua, to thrive in Lincoln and across the state. The generosity of the donors enriches the lives of Nebraskans as we discover our history, explore our culture, and imagine our future through the humanities. Thank you! Dr. & Mrs. Richard L. Hendriksen Sharon A. Hersemann Frank & Liz Hilsabeck Don & Jan Hinds Dr. Paul E. Hodgson Dr. Daniel & Alice Holtz Elizabeth Hunt Willis D. Hunt Tom Ineck Julie & Mike Jacobson Andrew & Becca Jewell Kile & Virginia Johnson Larry & Irene Johnson Lisa & Bob Jorgensen Howard & Gloria Kaslow Ruth & Jim Keene Bob & Rossell Kelley Bradley L. Knuth Howard & Sharon Kooper Dr. & Mrs. Robin R. Koozer Mr. & Mrs. Paul Korslund John F. Kotouc & Wende L. Kotouc John & Cynthia Kugler Lou & Pat Lamberty Nicholas J. Lamme Embree A. Learned David & Marje Little Dr. William & Mrs. Virginia Locke Cheryl & Edward Lockwood John & Mary Longo Mr. & Mrs. Martin Massengale Ellie & James R. McClymont Mardy McCullough Cindy & Jim Mohl Francis & Maxine Moul W. Don & Andrea Nelson Michael Nevrivy Sharee & Murray Newman Larry & Donna Niemeyer Dale & Wauneta Nitzel Don & Rita Otis John & Janet Palmtag Give with CSF worksite deduction Serving donors. Serving causes. Serving community. The Nebraska Humanities Council is a proud member agency of Community Services Fund (CSF). We greatly appreciate donors who designated gifts to us through CSF workplace giving campaigns last year. Contact CSF at (402) 489-4332 or visit www.communityservicesfund. org. Edward L. Bannister Jr. Ed Bates Ruth Cover Nancy Finken Ernst Elizabeth Evans Carol J. Fichter Mark Gustafson Don Hickey Karl D. Hostetler Deborah A. Kincaid Sherry Komenda Linda S. Meyers Gary G. Osborn Carol R Rempp Tyler Richard Katherine J. Sanchez Lyle Schmidt Jason Skold Heather Thomas Art & Carol Thompson Andrea T. Wenke Twyla J. Witt Patricia A. Wright Mary Yager Todd Pankratz & Jessica Meeske Charles & Nancy Peek Harvey & Susan Perlman Christian M. Petersen Dr. Nelson Potter & Kathleen A. Johnson Jack R. Preston & Nancy Haney Steve & Peg Pribnow Robert Price John & Deb Quirk Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Raun Susan & Thomas Reiber Jane Renner Hood Paul & Susan Rice Ronald & Lois Roskens Marcia Rost Eleanor M. Sack Cynthia Schneider Nancy Schwertley Don & Barbara Sergeant Larry & Linda Shepard Frank J. & Shirley Sibert Paul & Annette Smith Wayne & Elaine Specht Merle Stalder Joe Starita Roger & Liana Steele Gregory & Margaret Sutton Dr. Peter T. Suzuki Tom & Sheryl Thomsen Carl & Alice Throckmorton Barbara Tripp Harriet Turner Ann M. Van Hoff William & Joan Vobejda Rod Wagner Michael & Susan Walenz Katherine L. Walter Craig & Elizabeth Wanamaker Roger Wehrbein David & Lorma Wiebe John & Nancy Wiederspan John Wiltse George E. Wolf & John G. Taylor Avery Woods Deborah J. Wright John & Susan Wunder Kevin & Paige Wycoff Dan Yost ( Page 11 ) Mark Young & Susan Koenig Eli Zietz Gifts of $50-$99 Jerry & Linda Adams Sayre & Bonnie Andersen Mr. & Mrs. Terry Annable Diane Berlett Susan Billups Kate Bradley Beth Burkstrand-Reid & Brian Reid Robert & Judith Burton Blake & Gail Butler William & Audrey Cassel Dr. Dave & Karen Colan Tim & Carol Crook Beth & Amnon Dotan Phyllis & Robert Dunne Laverna & Rod Epp Craig & Lela Fidler Joan Fink Loyd & Marie Fischer Shirley Flack Daniel & Ann Flood Joan Giesecke William & Sarah Ginn Jan & John Gradwohl Karen & Gordon Granberg R. W. Hasebroock Ellan Hove Mr. & Mrs. John V. James Ree & Jun Kaneko Dianne & Walker Kennedy Phil & Mary Kommers Ron & Betty Kort Carole Levin Karen Levin Gerald & Bonnie Luckey Margaret Lutton Constance Malloy & Harvey Freetly Dr. & Mrs. William T. Griffin Mele Mason Julia A. McDougal Alice & Ken McElhose Ruth McMaster Fern Medlin Rosalind Morris Gary E. & Faye W. Moulton Robert & Phyllis Narveson Rick & Roxanne Nelson Michelle J. Oldham Dale & Fern Olson Wil & Shari Packard David & Lori Pankonin Dick & Vicki Powell Thomas O. & Kirsten S. Powers Darrell & Myrna Puls Orv & Mary Qualsett Margaret Quambusch Chris & B.J. Reed Richard & Judy Reimer Kenneth & Dorothy Rieke Karla Ritter-Lindsay William & Dolores Roundey Ronald & Susan Samson John S. Schleicher Suzanne G. Schreiber Jim & Deanna Schwartz Mike Seacrest Steven & Nanette Shackelford & Family Barbara K. (Bunny) Smith Donna Jo Smith Ruth Snyder in memory of Keith S. Snyder Barbara Sprague Dr. & Mrs. Roy F. Statton Mr. William Sternad Bill & Donna Stewart Dr. & Mrs. Gene F. Stohs Elizabeth H. Summers Doris Thompson Janyce Warneke Kent & Susan Warneke Don & Marcia Welch Rae E. Whitney Anne M. Woita David S. Wysong Scott & Reba Zana Zak & Amy Zutavern We appreciate donations of all sizes, but due to space limitations recognition of gifts in NHC publications begins at the Friend level ($50). Gifts of $50 or more also entitle members to receive our annual Nebraska Humanities magazine. Donate online at: www.nebraskahumanities.org. NEBRASKA HUMANITIES COUNCIL Sara Crook, Chair, Peru Andrew Alexander, Vice Chair, Wayne Carol Rempp, Treasurer, Lincoln B.J. Reed, Immediate Past Chair, Omaha Steven Achelpohl, Omaha Connie Adams, Broken Bow Virginia Aita, Omaha Eric Brown, Lexington David Buntain, Lincoln Dazmi Castrejon, Omaha Annette Eisenhart, Culbertson Mark Foxall, Omaha Carol Gendler, Omaha Mary Henning, Kearney Chantal Kalisa, Lincoln Taylor Keen, Omaha Michael Nolan, Norfolk Gretchen Peters, Gering Dayle Wallien, Scottsbluff Katherine Walter, Lincoln NEBRASKA FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES Natalie Olson, President, Lincoln Marilyn Hadley, Vice President, Kearney Densel Rasmussen, Treasurer, Grand Island Joanne Berkshire, Omaha Eric Brown, Lexington Diane Brownell, Lincoln David Buntain, Lincoln Sara Crook, Peru Annette Eisenhart, Culbertson Carol Gendler, Omaha Deb Glenn, Scottsbluff Chris Harris, Lincoln Catherine Lang, Lincoln Michael Nolan, Norfolk Molly O’Holleran, North Platte Susan Poser, Lincoln B.J. Reed, Omaha Carol Rempp, Lincoln Joel Russell, Omaha Barbara Schaefer, Omaha Gail Veitzer, Omaha Carol Waring, Fremont Susan Watts, McCook Kathy Wilson, Omaha STAFF Christopher Sommerich, Executive Director Liz Makowski, Program Assistant Erika Hamilton, Director of Literary Programs Elisabeth Pflanz, Fiscal Officer Kristi Hayek, Program Officer Julie MacDonald, Development Coordinator Barbara Grant, Office and Communications Assistant Heather Thomas, Development Officer Mary Yager, Associate Director 215 Centennial Mall South, Suite 330 Lincoln, NE 68508 402-474-2131 Fax 402-474-4852 [email protected] www.nebraskahumanities.org Nonprofit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 645 Lincoln, NE 68508 Become a Facebook “fan” of the Nebraska Humanities Council! If you have a page, visit www. facebook.com and search for Nebraska Humanities Council. Follow us @NEhumanities To update address or cancel mailing, call (402) 474-2131 or e-mail [email protected]. Forum theme is “Religion, Rights and Politics” The 2012-13 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues, a cooperative project of the Cooper Foundation, the Lied Center for Performing Arts and the University of NebraskaLincoln, will address the theme of “Religion, Rights and Politics” with five lectures. The Nebraska Humanities Council and local colleges and universities will again expand the impact of the Lincoln lectures with simulcasts to audiences in Columbus, Hastings, Kearney, McCook, North Platte, Omaha and Scottsbluff. Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. – The series opens with Robert Putnam delivering the Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities. (See story on page 1.) Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. – Charles Villa-Vicencio, South African theologian, “Violence, Religion, Financial Muscle and Liberation: Can Africa Heal Itself?” Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. – J. Kirk Brown, Nebraska solicitor general, and Michael Radelet, University of Colorado Boulder professor, “The Death Penalty: Justice, Retribution and Dollars” Monday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. – Felice Gaer, American Jewish Committee, “International Religious Freedom” Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. – Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate, “True Islam: Human Rights, Faith and Women” Lectures are free and open to the public. ( Page 12 ) Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi will speak on “True Islam: Human Rights, Faith and Women,” Feb. 26, as part of the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. Photo courtesy of E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. With the exception of the Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities on Oct. 2, all begin at 7 p.m. (CST), 6 p.m. (MST) in Scottsbluff. Free tickets are required for attendance at the Lied Center in Lincoln and may be obtained by calling the box office at 402-472-4747 or downloading a ticket order form at enthompson.unl.edu. Simulcast locations are posted at www. nebraskahumanities.org or contact Mary Yager, associate director, at [email protected] or (402) 474-2131 ext 103 to request email notification before each lecture.
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