Humanities Tennessee Annual Report 2021-2022

Humanities Tennessee Our Stories. Our State.

2021 - 2022 Annual Report

A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR, MARY POM CLAIBORNE I am pleased to share this annual report with you on how Humanities Tennessee (HT) has impacted the State of Tennessee during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Like so many others, this time period found us anticipating the ‘other side’ of the pandemic — a time when we could again gather safely. Didn’t it take longer than we all thought possible?

During such uncertainty, our staff and board continued to prioritize resources and support for Tennessee’s cultural organizations. We found creative ways to empower local libraries to feature live author readings through social media. Local volunteers mobilized to pursue neighborhood stories never-before explored. Organizations across the state put grant funds to use to save jobs, create new virtual programs, and document significant historical narratives. And, the Southern Festival of Books and Chapter16.org kept Tennesseans engaged with the literary work of our state and region. Through such a challenging time, we pursued creative ways to stay connected, strengthened our team and programs, and helped amplify the work of Tennessee’s cultural sector.

We also used this time to complete a new 5-year strategic plan, rooted in value outcomes to drive our work and guide our decision-making. With the guiding values of shared knowledge, empowerment, equity, civility, and community, we envision a future in which Tennesseans seek knowledge, share stories, and unite with empathy to create more connected communities.

HT will soon celebrate 50 years serving Tennesseans. We look forward to exploring the journey so far, hearing your stories and memories from programs past, and most especially, dreaming of what the cultural life and literature of Tennessee looks like in the years to come.

We thank you for your support and invite your participation in the weeks, years, and decades ahead!

Mary Pom Claiborne, Board Chair Director, Marketing, Development & Communications Knoxville County Public Library System

MISSION To foster community and civility in Tennessee through public programs and partnerships that examine and reflect upon ideas, stories, history, arts, and culture.

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STATEWIDE IMPACT 11,000+ participants at virtual Southern Festival of Book

500,000+ people reached through Chapter16.org

4,000 books distributed & 3,500 students joined Jason Reynolds live inside Minecraft 91 SHARP Awards totaling $941,454

CONNECTED COMMUNITIES

61 Festival sessions with more than 125 authors

50+ Young Writers' Workshop students

2 Neighborhood Story Projects

$80,000+ grant awards

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PROGRAMS Seek Knowledge.

Humanities Tennessee serves as the Tennessee affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. What does this designation mean for Tennesseans?

Through the multitude of HT's literary programs, we strive to promote books and libraries, literacy and reading. We highlight Tennessee's literary heritage — past and present — and encourage the creation of new work. We're thrilled to spotlight just a few, of the many, programs that engaged the public with literary Tennessee throughout 2021-2022.

On October 22, 2021, we presented a virtual Student Reader Day with Jason Reynolds, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature — 4,000 TN students received his book. On the morning of the big event, 3,500 students tuned in for a live broadcast that weaved together contributions from various schools: submitted questions, a student introduction, live student interviews (that took place, in part, inside the popular video game Minecraft!), teacher-submitted photos of participating schools and “responses to the work.” Our friend at the Library relayed that "Jason called it the "nerdiest fun he's had at an event!""

For the 2021 virtual Southern Festival of Books, we were happy to present programs through two special partnerships, in addition to the robust Festival schedule. The National Museum of African-American Music hosted Daniel de Visé for his book King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King. The museum curator, Steven Lewis, interviewed the author, and attendees were offered discounted tour tickets. We also continued our work with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt on a themed track relating to climate change featuring multiple genres and topics, from poetry to environmental racism to fiction. You can enjoy two years of recorded sessions on the Festival's YouTube channel @sofestofbooks.

After two years of a virtual experience, the Young Writers' Workshop returned to an in-person event. In partnership with East Tennessee State University we welcomed 50 rising 9th graders- recently graduated high school students for a week-long residency in Johnson City where they

SoFestofBooks.org

worked alongside peers and professional writers.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to not only improve my writing and learn new skills, but also the chance to learn about myself in a safe place and meet some really great new friends."

Chapter16.org

GRANTS

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Share Stories.

Touching nearly every corner of the state, the 2021-2022 grant-funded humanities programs helped 13 projects illuminate stories using a virtual reality film, community artist conversations (live and streaming), a new exhibit, classroom education kits, multi-week neighborhood history curriculum, and community mapping...just to name a few.

Totaling more than $80,000 in funds awarded, HT's grant program inspires both local volunteer involvement and community investment. The impact of these programs could never be fully captured by one report. Therefore, we are expanding the grant archives pages on our website throughout 2023 to spotlight recipients and the difference they have made.

The Antikythera Mechanism Centennial Park Conservancy/Parthenon Cultural Cross Ties Contemporary Performing Arts of Chattanooga Dunbar Cave State Park Virtual Cave Tour Friends of Dunbar Cave Black Arts in America Global Education Center "Her Story: The Women of Historic Castalian Springs" Historic Cragfont Songbirds Presents "The Impressions" Songbirds Foundation Tennessee 101: Women in the Progressive Era & Reconstruction to the Late 20th Century Tennessee Historical Society The Suffrage Movement in Children's Literature: A Traveling Lit Kit for Tennessee Teachers University of Tennessee, Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature

Mapping Coptic Nashville Elmahaba Center Black in Appalachia - Kingsport Friends of the Archives of the City of Kingsport History Ambassadors Program Memphis Film Works Black Aesthetic, History, Equity, and Spirituality Splash Youth Arts

SHARP GRANTS Empower Organizations.

When Congress passed the American Rescue Plan in March 2021, the goal was imbedded in the name. For Tennessee cultural organizations, having to close the doors for nearly two years resulted in lost revenue and jobs, uncertainty, and disconnection. What would it look like if some of our most vital community organizations no longer existed?

From the Heritage Alliance in northeast Tennessee to RISE Chattanooga, Cumberland River Compact and Wolf Gap in Middle TN, and Paris County Heritage Center and The Griot Collective of West Tennessee, just to name a few…who might we be without the work of these organizations in our communities? As much as the pandemic forced us to ponder that question, it also pushed us to collaborate on solutions.

In many ways, 2022 offered the first steps toward pandemic recovery and a glimpse of future opportunities. In January 2022, Humanities Tennessee awarded $941,454 of Congressionally appropriated funds to 91 organizations across the state to support their recovery and sustain future operations. The Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) funds were immediately put to use saving jobs, operating historical buildings, bringing programs to the community, and connecting people virtually and in-person.

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HUMANITIES IN THE COMMUNITY Unite With Empathy.

Humanities TN annually contributes staff time and/or funding to organizations doing public humanities programs throughout the state. These collaborations and investments ensure that communities can participate in programs related to history, culture, literary, and cultural arts. Together, we can accomplish more and reach more members of the community than any one organization may do alone.

Our longest-standing collaboration with the Tennessee Historical Society began more than 20 years ago in support of Tennessee History Day. This educational program engages more than 7,000 grade 6-12 students annually with creative research and professional historians.

From October 2018-June 2022, HT toured the TNH2O exhibit to thirteen venues from Henning to Hawkins County. Designed as a follow-up to our tour of the Smithsonian’s Water Ways, TNH2O was created in partnership with the TN Historical Society and MTSU’s Al Gore Research Center to focus exclusively on Tennesseans and their water.

Libraries, parks, and museums hosted the exhibit, receiving more than $7,500 in Opportunity Grants for companion projects, selecting from among four options in our TNH2O Program Bureau, and reaching an audience of over 13,000. TNH2O provided relevant programming in rural places, brought the humanities to environmental organizations and their audiences, and reached seven organizations new to HT. 7 | Annual Report 2021-2022

LEADERSHIP & FINANCIALS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

Mary Pom Claiborne, (Chair) Knoxville James McKissic, (Vice Chair) Chattanooga Daryl A. Carter, (Past Chair) Johnson City

Tim Henderson, Executive Director Melissa Davis, Director, Grants & Public Programs Jenny Fernandez, Development & Events Coordinator Serenity Gerbman, Director, Literature & Language Programs Paul McCoy, Deputy Director of Grants & Public Programs Sandy Obodzinski, Development & Communications Director Patrick Shaffner, Program Officer Alexis Stevens, Director of Operations

April Alvarez, Sewanee Peggy Burch, Memphis Amy Elias, Knoxville Lauren Fitzgerald, Smyrna Julie Forkner, Oak Ridge Courtney Gregg, Nashville Mary Kennedy Hendershot, Sweetwater Kathi Leatherwood, Jackson Carol McCoy, Nashville John Talbott, Henderson Jennifer Triplett, Nashville Jen Wheatley, Paris

Maria Browning, Editor, Chapter 16 Steven Fox, Community Engagement Officer, SHARP Grants

Revenue: $2,336,721

Expenses: $2,273,327

In Kind 2.5%

Programs 26%

Other Government 9%

Individuals, Foundations, Corporations 11.4%

SHARP Grants 54.8% Administrative 12.1%

Federal Grants 74.4%

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Development 7.1%

Patrons' Circle In the midst of several anxious and disruptive years, Humanities Tennessee looked for creative opportunities and partnerships to help deliver meaningful humanities-based programming to our communities state-wide. On behalf of the board and staff of HT, I want to offer a very special “thank you” to the individuals and organizations who supported that work in the past year.

To all of you, our supporters, we acknowledge how much we rely on your contributions to extend the reach and the depth of these programs and how much we need them now. Thank you!

Tim Henderson Executive Director

GIFTS OF $1,000 OR MORE

GIFTS OF $500 OR MORE

Lynn M. Alexander Barbara Chadwick Melanie and Randall D. Ford Serenity Gerbman Tim and Lauran Henderson Dr. Marilyn Kallet Susan Kupisch Patricia G. Lane The Honorable Carol McCoy John and Gaye Patton A. Warren Phillips Sandra Schatten Foundation Abby Trotter Cal Turner Joyce and Stephen Wood

Stephen M. Abelman and Robin Holab-Abelman April R. Alvarez Anonymous Jeannette Brown Luda Davies Melissa Davis Barbara Enkema The Jane and Richard Eskind and Family Foundation The Steven & Laurie Eskind Family Foundation Stanley E. and Sara K. Graber Natalie L. Haslam Mary K. Hendershot Roberta T. Herrin Kathi Leatherwood Alexis and Paul McCoy Sandra McLeroy Margaret Renkl Faye Rivers Ken Roberts Victoria O. Ross Jennifer Triplett Ron Watson and Jeffrey Corvin Karen E. and Randy Williams

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2021-2022 SUPPORTERS

THANK YOU to the following individuals and organizations who made our work possible.

GIFTS OF $250-$499

GIFTS OF $100-$249

Clare C. Armistead Grace Awh The Blum Family Foundation Maria Browning Patsy Q. Carson Daryl A. Carter Barbara Chazen Karen B. Davis Ann B. Egerton Cynthia Ezell Beth Fortune Ann Wilson Green Kay Johnson Karen Litterer Jesilee Northington Sandy Obodzinski Kimberly Quillen Nancy Rankin Helen Robbins Ellis Bobby Rogers Melissa M. and Philip R. Russ Daniel Sharfstein Kathryn A. Stephenson Alexis Stevens Kate Stone Byron Trauger

Rosalyn H. Anderson Linda-Marie Barrett Barri Bernstein Roger and Martha P. Bishop Richard Blackett Charles Borders Mary Ann Buehler Peggy Burch Tina Foster Caldwell Mary Cavarra Shuly Cawood Barbara Cobb Chase Cole Hunter Crabtree Amy P. Dietrich Jenny Fernandez Kimball S. Ford Julie Forkner Joe F. Fowlkes Stephen G. Fritz Mary Belle Ginanni Connie J. and Richard C. Green Elizabeth Gregory Diane H. Harvey Karen H. and L. Frank Hutton Ronald Kidd Susan W. Knowles

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Matthew Leung Michael and Ellen Levitt Andrea O. E. Lindsey Randy Mackin Katie McDougall James H. McKissic Ann Miller James David Miller Terry Minnen Donald Moore Scott Newstok Joseph and Keri Pagetta David and Diana Revell Bo Roberts Howard Ross Ingrid Scharpf Laura H. Schmink Julie Schoerke Bradley Sides Vivian L. Sims Michael Strickland Michael Toomey Jinx Watson Judith Wenzel James O. and Ruth B. White Marianne Worthington Jane and Bill Young Michael and Margaret B. Zibart

GIFTS UP TO $100 Amanda Adams James E. Akenson Stephen V. and Jean C. Ash Donna R. and Ralph I. Barr Katrin Bean Linda Behrend Betty Bellamy Lawrence Beron John Blanton Kathryn Boehm Karen A. Bowyer Russelle Bradbury Carol C. Brewer Lois L. Brown Susan Brown KB Canestrari Esther Davenport Fay L. Delk Sandy DeWald Kathleen Dietz Patricia Dillon Jane DuBose Patricia Dykstra William Edington Lee Fairbend Paula Fowler Phyllis and Stanley P. Frank David Friedlander Doug Gamble Pat Gosch Jesse Graves Bill Guy Leisa A. Hammett Allison Hammond Georganne Harmon Jerrilyn Hobdy Diane Honda

Carol Hubbard Ronald Humble Margie Hunter Julia Huskey William Kornrich Kim H. and Robert J. Looney David and Roberta Madden Jane Marcellus James E. and Judy McFarland Alice Merritt Shirlene L. Morgan Margaret S. Norris Tonie Osborne Joe T. Porter Angie and Mitch Pryor Richard R. Ranta Kristy Robinson Stella Rodenberg Brian Sallade Julie K. Sandine Jenness Schuhmann Danielle Scruton Phyllis and L. Ray Sells Maggie Selvidge Patrick Shaffner Deborah Smith Natalie Smith Lacy Snapp Jane Snyder Alice Marie Starks Ann and Hix Stubblefield Edward T. Sullivan Bonnie Tinsley Barbara S. Turner Corinne Van Buren Lola White F. Clark Williams

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Corporate, Foundation & Public Agency Support

IN-KIND SUPPORT

P.O. Box 60467 Nashville, TN 37206 (615) 770-0006 info@HumTN.org HumTN.org

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