On September 30, President Obama declared October 2014, National Arts and Humanities Month. This is the 29th year in a row that October has been dedicated to celebrating Arts and Humanities. In his proclamation, Obama wrote, “Since our earliest days, America has flourished because of the creative spirit and vision of our people. Our Nation is built on the freedom of expression, and we rely on the arts and humanities to broaden our views and remind us of the truths that connect us.” Though sometimes criticized as impractical the humanities build connections between people and reflect truths that are so important to the foundation of our country. Obama ended his Presidential Proclamation by encouraging Americans to ce lebrate the arts and humanities this month.
Across America, organizations are responding to the invitation to celebrate arts and humanities. The #ShowYourArt campaign encourages Americans to share photos of art they create or art they love on social media outlets. You can celebrate too by visiting a museum, attending a play or musical, or engaging in important conversations about the humanities.
Another way to be a part of the celebration is to attend our Annual Lecture on October 17. Linguist K. David Harrison of Swarthmore College will give a presentation entitled “Disappearing Languages” about his work documenting and preserving endangered languages across the world. Come celebrate National Arts and Humanities with us!
