April 2010 e-Newsletter
left_roundLEH Hosts NEH Chairman's "Civility Tour"

 jim_leachOn May 12, the LEH will welcome Jim Leach, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities to the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans. Chairman Leach will speak as part of his nationwide "Civility Tour."  The event will begin at 7 p.m. and a reception will follow the speech.
 
Chairman Leach is visiting each of the 50 states, speaking at venues ranging from university and museum lecture halls to hospitals for veterans. He also will give interviews and appear on local television and radio. Partnering with the LEH on the May 12th event are Tulane University, Common Good, and the Young Leadership Council.  The Louisiana Humanities Center is located at 938 Lafayette Street at the corner of O'Keefe in the Central Business District. For more information, visit www.leh.org or call 504-620-2632.
 
About Chairman Leach
Jim Leach is the ninth Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Nominated by President Barack Obama on July 9, 2009, and confirmed by the Senate in early August, Leach began his four-year term as NEH Chairman on Aug. 12. Chairman Leach previously served 30 years representing southeastern Iowa in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he chaired the Banking and Financial Services Committee, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and founded and co-chaired the Congressional Humanities Caucus.

After leaving Congress in 2007, Leach joined the faculty at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School, where he was the John L. Weinberg Visiting Professor of Public and International Affairs until his confirmation as NEH chairman. In Sept. 2007, Leach took a year's leave of absence from Princeton to serve as interim director of the Institute of Politics and lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He graduated from Princeton University, received a Master of Arts degree in Soviet politics from the School of Advanced International Studies at The John Hopkins University, and did additional graduate studies at the London School of Economics.

For reservations, contact LHC Program Director Brian Boyles at boyles@leh.org or 504-620-2632.
left_round New LEH Board members


board_apr10Michael Bernstein, PhD - Professor Bernstein was appointed Tulane's 11th Provost in July of 2007.  He came to Tulane from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), where he served as the Dean of Arts and Humanities and as a Professor of History.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Nalty - Mrs. Nalty brings an active and meaningful engagement in many civic organizations such as the Edward G. Schlieder Education Foundation, Board of Administration of Tulane University, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation, Ogden Museum of Art and many others.

Nell Shehee - Ms. Shehee is Vice-President of Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company and Kilpatrick's Rose-Neath Funeral Homes, Director of the Kilpatrick Cares Wellness Program, and a Licensed Funeral Director. Ms. Shehee has served on many community boards such as The Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, LABI, Shreveport Symphony, Rapides Symphony Orchestra, One Great River, and The Rotary Club. 

Luis Zervigon, CFP - Mr. Zervigon is a Certified Financial Planner and is a member of the Financial Planning Association. Mr. Zervigon is a trustee and secretary of the Keller Family Foundation, as well as the treasurer of the board for Unity of Greater New Orleans. He also serves on the board of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana.
left_round 2009 PRIME TIME Sites and Participants Receive Awards

During the LEH's annual awards ceremony held March 6 at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow, Louisiana, PRIME TIME this year recognized its partners for the first time.  PRIME TIME presented awards to representative sites across the state, including the Caldwell Parish School System and Caldwell Parish Library, which partnered with PRIME TIME for the first time. The PRIME TIME staff congratulates all PRIME TIME awardees, and thanks every team member at every site for contributing to PRIME TIME's success.   

Award Recipients:
  • Caldwell Parish Schools/Caldwell Parish Library, Columbia
  • Communities in Schools, New Orleans
  • Department of Juvenile Services in Jefferson Parish, Harvey
  • Louisiana Children's Museum, New Orleans
  • Multicultural Center of the South, Shreveport
  • Natchitoches Historic Foundation/Roque House, Natchitoches
  • Start the Adventure in Reading, New Orleans    
  • Union Parish Family Literacy Center, Bernice
  • Volunteers of America, Bossier City
  • Volunteers of America-LA PROMISE, Shreveport
left_round Kentucky Humanities Council's leaders honored at LEH award ceremony

The LEH presented Dr. Virginia Carter and Kathleen Pool of the Kentucky Humanities Council with the LEH's Public Humanities Programming Award. KHC Executive Director Virginia Carter and Associate Director Kathleen Pool have been champions of PRIME TIME in Kentucky since 2004 when their agency received a PRIME TIME national expansion grant.  Since then, KHC has partnered with the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives to implement 85 successful and highly diverse programs. As a result of their hard work, more than 3,000 Kentuckians have participated in KHC PRIME TIME programs.
left_round PRIME TIME grant applications now available!

The PRIME TIME staff is now accepting applications for future Louisiana programs.  Public libraries, schools, community centers and other public institutions throughout Louisiana are eligible. Agencies within Caddo, Evangeline, Jefferson, Lafayette, Morehouse, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Mary, Tensas, and Terrebonne parishes are particularly encouraged to apply.

What The Grant Provides:
  1. Training for 3 team members in New Orleans
  2. Selected syllabus of books for 25 families (loan)
  3. Team member stipends
  4. Transportation for participating families
  5. Promotional materials
  6. On-going technical support
PRIME TIME grants are awarded twice annually to fill fall and spring/summer sessions. April 15 is the deadline for the fall 2010 session. Eligible applications will be provisionally approved for the PRIME TIME award pending approval of LEH funding. Applications are also being accepted for future terms; those deadlines will be announced at a later date. 

PRIME TIME paper forms are being phased out and applications for fall 2010 must be filed online. Click here to access the online PRIME TIME grant application. Contact Shantrell Adams with questions or concerns regarding the online system.  

For more information about PRIME TIME, download our program brochure, or contact Miranda Restovic or Shantrell Adams.
left_round PRIME TIME training workshop dates announced

The next PRIME TIME Training Workshop has been tentatively scheduled for July 24 - 25. The workshop will take place at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans.  For additional information about the July workshop, contact Shantrell Adams.
left_round RELIC: Readings in Literature and Culture

RELIC programs for the winter/spring period are reaching a peak of activity in April in all regions of the state, from the northwest to New Orleans, and from Monroe to DeQuincy.  Attendance for two programs recently concluded in Shreveport averaged more than 30 persons per session, and public interest is strong for programs scheduled to begin in April. It is never too late to sign up at a hosting library and participate in these lively discussions about Louisiana history, prize-winning Louisiana authors, Louisiana folklore, north Louisiana culture, America in World War II, American immigration, or even Elizabeth I of England. For a list of participating libraries and registration information, see below:
  • Colfax - Grant Parish Library. Folktales and Stories of the South and Louisiana.  6-8 p.m. Thursdays, March 18-April 22. 318-627-9920.  
  • DeQuincy - Calcasieu Parish Library. I'll Be Seeing You. . .America and World War II.  4-6 p.m. Mondays, April 12-May 17. 337-721-7087.  
  • Baton Rouge - Goodwood Branch, East Baton Rouge Parish Library. Becoming American: The Literature of Immigration and Acculturation. 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, April 15-May 20. 225-231-3746.  
  • Monroe - Stubbs Avenue Branch, Monroe, Ouachita Parish Public Library. Elizabeth I of England and Her Times. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, April 8-May 13. 318-327-1490.   
  • Napoleonville - Assumption Parish Library. Louisiana Characters: Biographies of the Bayou State. 4-6 p.m. Thursdays, April 15-May 20. 985-369-7070.   
  • New Orleans - Mid City, New Orleans Public Library. Louisiana History: Perspectives on the Pelican State.  6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 24-April 28. 504-596-2656.   
  • St. Francisville - West Feliciana Parish Library. Encounter in Louisiana. 9:30-11:30 a.m.  Tuesdays, May 4-June 8. 225-784-0260.
  • Winnsboro - Franklin Parish Library. Where Is North Louisiana? 5:30-7:30 p.m.  Tuesdays, April 6-May 11. 318-435-4336.
left_round LEH-sponsored events


Baton Rouge: The Louisiana Association of Museums, a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1979 to help our state's museums better serve their communities, presents LAMCon 10: The Future Is Now! this year's theme for the association's conference and meeting. Each year, LAM strives to bring the most professional speakers, consultants and trainers to its members and colleagues. April 12 & 13 at the Louisiana Association of Museums, 100 North Boulevard. For more information call 225-383-6800.

Lake Charles: The Banners Series exists to bring top quality, current programs in both arts and humanities to the people of Southwest Louisiana. Each spring, more than 25 programs ranging from music to lectures are presented. With its varied programming, Banners is designed to appeal to all ages and all demographic groups. This month, Banners presents:
  • Pakistan's Northwest Frontier in Modern Imperial History, a lecture by Dr. Sameetah Agha. Dr. Agha is an Associate Professor of History at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Agha will concentrate on Pakistan (a topic which has been requested by a number of Banners Series members). Her area of expertise is the volatile northwest frontier. The Northwest Territory, a semi-autonomous mountainous tribal area of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, gained international attention after 9/11. U.S. officials recently described it as "the most dangerous place on earth." 7 p.m. April 12 at the Parra Ballroom, McNeese State University Campus. For more information, call 337-475-5123.
  • Debating Southern Family Life in the 1970s, a lecture by Ted Ownby. Dr. Ownby is a professor of history and southern studies at Ole Miss. His books are Subduing Satan: Religion, Recreation, and Manhood in the Rural South, 1865-1920 and American Dreams in Mississippi: Consumers, Poverty and Culture, 1830-1998. He is currently working on a book about the conflicting definitions of family life in the 20th century American South. The "Free Bird" reference in the title of his talk references is a popular song from the group Lynyrd Skynyrd - a song that became a kind of anthem for young men who were rejecting ties to permanent commitments, especially to families. He is a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians. 7 p.m. April 20 at the Baker Auditorium, Mc Neese State University Campus. For more information, call 337-475-5123.
  • America's Huge Stake in India, a lecture by Mira Kamdar. LAMira Kamdar is an award-winning author who writes in both French and English. Her books have been translated and published in more than a dozen editions around the world. She provides analysis on breaking international news for leading broadcast and print outlets, and is regularly invited to speak for community, university and business audiences. She divides her time between New York, Paris and New Delhi. Mira Kamdar's latest book is Planet India: The Turbulent Rise of the World's Largest Democracy and the Future of Our World (Scribner 2008), which has been translated and published in more than a dozen foreign editions. 7 p.m. April 28 at the Parra Ballroom, McNeese State University Campus. For more information, call 337-475-5123.
Kenner: Learn from Louisiana's Native American craftsmen how to make and use traditional items. Gain an appreciation for the hand-crafted goods that local Native Americans have created from Louisiana's natural materials and used for thousands of years. Admission is $3 for adults and $2.50 for children and seniors and includes admission to the Native American Museum. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 3 at the Kenner Heritage Park, 303 Williams Blvd. For more information, call 504-468-7231.

Lafayette: The South Regional Branch of the Lafayette Public Library presents Poems: Where They Come From and Where They Go, a poetry reading and discussion featuring Louisiana Poet Laureate Dr. Darrell Bourque. Dr. Bourque will read excerpts from his book and discuss the craftsmanship of creative writing. Free and open to the public. 6:30 p.m. April 27 at the Lafayette Public Library, 301 West Congress Street. For more information, call 337-261-5757.

Plaquemine: The Iberville Museum, 57735 Main St., presents the latest installment of its People of Iberville exhibition and public program series entitled Anglo-Scotch of Iberville. The exhibition showcases the cultural, political and economic contributions of Anglo-Scots-born settlers in the region. It opened March 14 and continues through May 22. For more information, call 225-687-7197.

Shreveport: The Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College of Louisiana, 2911 Centenary Blvd., continues its Uniquely Louisiana Collectors series with Focus Gallery: Selections from the Collection of David and Nicole Holcombe. The exhibit includes a variety of media by Louisiana artists, some well-known and others not as well, collected over a period of 25 years by David and Nicole Holcombe of Alexandria. Until May 30, The Second  Northwest Louisiana Artists' Triennial Competition highlights art produced by contemporary working artists in the northwest region of the state. For more information, visit www.centenary.edu/meadows or call 318-869-5014.

St. Francisville: The Julius Freyhan Foundation presents Matzoh Ball Gumbo: Culinary Tales of the Jewish South, a symposium exploring the significance of the Jewish community as a mainstay of the Southern economy. The symposium will also examine the Jewish heritage of the lower Mississippi River valley from a religious, cultural and economic perspective. 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. April 16 at the West Feliciana Parish Court House, Ferdinand & Prosperity Streets in St. Francisville. For more information, call 225-635-6330.

Wallace: The Louisiana Folklore Society's annual meeting takes place at the Whitney Plantation in St. John the Baptist Parish. The conference theme is The Great River Road Corridor: Cuisines, Cultures and Communities from the Atlantic World to the Plantation Belt. It will focus on the culinary arts, cultures and the various folklore genres of the geographical region along the River Road from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. April 16 &17 at the Whitney Plantation, 5099 Hwy. 18, Wallace. For more information, call 225-578-6078.
left_round Upcoming grant deadlines

  • First Week of April - Send Preliminary Applications for Spring Public Humanities grants
  • April 26 - Documentary Film and Radio grants
  • May 3 - Public Humanities grants
For information concerning both grant categories, contact Walker Lasiter, 504-620-2631 or lasiter@leh.org
left_round Jon Cleary plays "Professors" Piano Night 4/12!

The "Professors Piano Night" series continues on Monday, April 12th at 7pm with Jon Cleary. Admission is $5.
 
A true master of the keys, Cleary carries the flame of the New Oreleans piano tradition via his solo performances and recordings, his work with Bonnie Raitt and John Scofield, and a touring schedule that spans the globe.
 
The evening will include 2 sets of music and an interview with WWOZ's David Kunian about Cleary's career and insight into the city and its sound.  The LHC is a smoke-free venue, drinks are available, and a short-reception follows the performance.  
 
Dedicated to exploring the piano tradition in New Orleans, the "Professors" series is made possible by a sponsorship from the Hilton St. Charles hotel. Click here to listen to our previous installment with Tom Worrell.
 
For reservations, contact Brian Boyles at boyles@leh.org or 504.620.2632.  The LHC is located at 938 Lafayette Street, at the corner of O'Keefe. Click here for directions.

left_round NEH and ALA offer library grants

picturing_america The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the ALA Public Programs Office have extended the deadline for public libraries to apply for a $2,000 grant to support programs that incorporate the Picturing America collection. Applications will be accepted through April 26 at www.programminglibrarian.org/picturingamerica.

Additionally, the terms of the grant have been expanded so that all public libraries are considered eligible to apply. Successful applicants that have not received the Picturing America collection will receive the set of posters, featuring reproductions of American artwork in addition to the cash grant. For a list of images included in the Picturing America collection, see www.programminglibrarian.org/picturingamerica/general/images or visit NEH's image gallery (http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/about.php).

To qualify for the programming grant, propose a program or program series that features high-quality humanities content and includes use of the Picturing America collection. After the grant term ends in Feb. 2011, ALA will select a few of the strongest, most creative programs that combine the visual arts with humanities content to showcase at the 2011 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.

Resources to help start your application, including Let's Talk About It: Picturing America reading lists, thematic film lists, tips on bringing authors and storytellers to your library and One Book One Community support materials can be found at www.programminglibrarian.org/picturingamerica/proposal-resources. Visit www.programminglibrarian.org/picturingamerica to find more inspiration and resources to support humanities programs for public audiences of all ages that feature the Picturing America collection.