National Endowment for the Humanities
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| National Endowment for the Humanities | |
 Official seal and logo |
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 29, 1965 |
| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | 141 (2006)c |
| Annual budget | $141 million USD (2006) |
| Agency executive | Carole M. Watson, Acting Chairman |
| Website | |
| www.neh.gov | |
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (Pub.L. 89-209) dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. in the Old Post Office.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
According to its website, the NEH is "the largest funder of humanities programs in the United States." The endowment accomplishes this mission by providing grants for high-quality humanities projects in four funding areas: preserving and providing access to cultural resources, education, research, and public programs.
NEH grants typically go to cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, and radio stations, and to individual scholars. The agency is also a base supporter of its network of private, nonprofit affiliates, the 57 humanities councils in the United States. Every summer, NEH hosts undergraduate students from across the country as interns in various departments from the Division of Education to the Office of the Chairman. Each intern is mentored by an NEH staffperson and receives a stipend for ten weeks of full-time work.
The Endowment is directed by a chairman, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, for a term of four years. Advising the chairman is the National Council on the Humanities, a board of 26 distinguished private citizens[1] who are also appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The National Council members serve staggered six-year terms.
In 1995, Congress considered de-funding the NEH along with the NEA and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The current Acting Chairman of the NEH is Carole M. Watson, appointed by President Obama to serve in the post until his appointment, and Senate confirmation, of the next permanent chairman.[2][3] She replaces Bruce Cole, who resigned effective January 2009[4] after having been nominated and confirmed in 2001[5][6] and again in 2005.[7][8]
On June 3, 2009, President Obama announced that he intended to nominate former Iowa congressman Jim Leach, a Republican, to be the next chairman of the NEH.[9]
[edit] Chairs
- Barnaby Keeney, 1963-, chairman of National Commission on the Humanities
- Henry Allen Moe, 1965-66, interim chairman
- Barnaby Keeney, 1966-1970
- Wallace Edgerton, Acting Chairman, 1970-71
- Ronald Berman, 1971-1977
- Robert Kingston, Acting Chairman, 1977
- Joseph Duffey, 1977-81
- William J. Bennett, 1981-85
- John Agresto, Acting Chairman, 1985
- Lynne Cheney, 1986-1993
- Jerry L. Martin, Acting Chairman, 1993
- Donald Gibson, Acting Chairman, 1993
- Sheldon Hackney, 1993-97
- Bruce A. Lehman, Acting Chairman, 1997
- William R. Ferris, 1997-2001
- Bruce Cole, 2001-2009
- Carole M. Watson, Acting Chairman, 2009
[edit] "We the People" initiative
The NEH makes certain important programs and texts part of the "We the People" initiative, which is used to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through the support of projects and programs that explore significant events and themes in our nation's history and which advance knowledge of the principles that define America.[10]
[edit] Awards
[edit] Jefferson Lecture
Since 1972 the NEH has sponsored the Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, which it describes as "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities." The Jefferson Lecturer is selected each year by the National Council on the Humanities. The honoree delivers a lecture in Washington, D.C., generally in conjunction with the spring meeting of the Council, and receives an honorarium of $10,000. The stated purpose of the honor is to recognize "an individual who has made significant scholarly contributions in the humanities and who has the ability to communicate the knowledge and wisdom of the humanities in a broadly appealing way."[11]
[edit] National Humanities Medal and Charles Frankel Prize
Since 1997 the NEH has awarded the National Humanities Medal, to honor achievement in American understanding of, engagement with, or access to the humanities. The NEH may make up to 12 such awards each year. From 1988 to 1996 the NEH awarded a similar prize known as the Charles Frankel Prize.[12] Lists of the winners of the National Humanities Medal[13] and Frankel Prize[14] are available at the NEH website.
[edit] See also
- Institute of Museum and Library Services
- National Endowment for the Arts
- National Gallery of Art
- National Science Foundation
- Smithsonian Institution
[edit] Notes
- ^ National Council on the Humanities: Council Members list at NEH website.
- ^ "President Obama appoints Carole M. Watson as Acting Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities," press release dated February 10, 2009, at NEH website.
- ^ Stan Katz, "Who Can Lead the NEH," Chronicle Review blog post, February 10, 2009.
- ^ Bruce Cole to Depart the National Endowment for the Humanities," press release dated November 12, 2008, at NEH website.
- ^ U.S. Congress (4 September 2001). "Nominations". Congressional Record 147 (113): S9088. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2001_record&page=S9088&position=all. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ U.S. Congress (14 September 2001). "Confirmations". Congressional Record 147 (120): S9464. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2001_record&page=S9464&position=all. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ U.S. Congress (18 July 2005). "Nominations". Congressional Record 151 (97): S8438. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_record&page=S8438&position=all. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ U.S. Congress (17 December 2005). "Confirmations". Congressional Record 151 (163): S13969. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_record&page=S13969&position=all. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ Robin Pogrebin, "Obama Names a Republican to Lead the Humanities Endowment", New York Times, June 4, 2009.
- ^ The Writings of Henry D. Thoreau
- ^ Jefferson Lecturers at NEH Website (retrieved January 22, 2009).
- ^ Awards and Honors at NEH Website (retrieved January 23, 2009).
- ^ National Humanities Medals at NEH Website (retrieved January 23, 2009).
- ^ Winners of the Charles Frankel Prize at NEH Website (retrieved January 23, 2009).
[edit] External links
 |
This United States government-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
