October 5
The First Amendment prevents Congress from passing any laws that abridge the freedom of speech. But what does that actually mean? Professor Meg Mott considers the history of speech laws in the United States, how states and municipalities have tried to curb offensive speech, and how the Supreme Court has ruled on those efforts.
November 2
In this moderated conversation, Gregory Maguire discusses his “revisionist history” of L. Frank Baum’s fantastic universe, including its ongoing relevance in a world where we too easily put people in boxes labeled “wicked” and “good.” Maguire will sign books after his talk, including the latest in his Oz series, The Oracle of Maracoor.
December 7
Author and activist Bill McKibben— the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and leader of the climate campaign group 350.org—provides an overview of the climate crisis and what changes need to be made to save the planet.
January 4
Indigenous people have shared stories to pass down knowledge, ways of living, traditions, and ceremonies for thousands of years. Author David A. Robertson examines his middle grade fiction fantasy novels, The Misewa Saga, and discusses what role traditional stories played in the development of the series. He explains how he honored the richness, intent, and themes of those original stories.
April 6
Selected by President Obama as the fifth inaugural poet in US history, Richard Blanco is the first Latino, immigrant, and gay person to serve in such a role. Born in Madrid to Cuban exile parents and raised in Miami, the negotiation of cultural identity characterizes his four collections of poetry.
May 3
Consumers are increasingly concerned with what goes into their food and demand a healthier and more ecologically sustainable food system. However, labor is rarely part of the so-called sustainable food discussion. Dr. Mares shares her ongoing research on food and farmworkers, focusing both on local labor concerns in the dairy industry and national conversations about essential work.
Poet Sarah Audsley joined us at the Taconic Mountains Ramble State Park for Words in the Woods.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported Historic New England’s “More than a Market” project that explored the experiences of new Americans through food markets.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
