West Virginia Humanities Council

10/14/2026

In his books, Rick Atkinson brings the human stories of the American Revolution to life. Exploring the human experience through stories is what we are about at the Council.

Watch our Executive Director’s conversation on WSAZ Studio 3 ahead of the 2026 McCreight Lecture in the Humanities this Thursday, October 15!

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. downtown at Capitol Theater in Charleston. The lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. followed by a Q&A and book signing. Books sales provided by Taylor Books.

This event is free and open to the public and support is provided in part by our premier sponsor, Jackson Kelly PLLC.

Studio 3

10/12/2026

Don't miss your chance to see Rick Atkinson in Charleston this Thursday, October 15th!

Our annual Betsy K. McCreight Lecture in the Humanities is free and open to the public.

We look forward to seeing you at Capitol Theater. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. followed by a Q&A and book signing. Books sales provided by Taylor Books.

Special thanks to our Premier Sponsor, Jackson Kelly PLLC.

09/30/2026

We're in DC this week celebrating the National Endowment for the Arts 2026 National Heritage Fellows, including West Virginia's own Gerry Milnes who received the distinguished Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Fellowship! We're honored to be here with Gerry's family and friends Augusta Heritage Center

Last night, the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) screened beautiful short films of each of the fellows followed by a Q&A. Gerry's film features many familiar West Virginia traditional artists and musicians. Watch them now at this link! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLFjbhoHvdPA&si=kTknJmHkSMUmY6mB

Tonight at 5:30PM ET, the fellows will all be honored at the Library of Congress, where there will be performances and speeches. You can watch this event live from home tonight at this link: https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage

Congratulations to all the 2026 National Heritage Fellows!

Celebrating the 2026 NEA National Heritage Fellows. From Texas borderlands fiddles and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to Appalachian storytelling, Irish wooden flute...

09/28/2026

Have you seen this wonderful display featuring Rick Atkinson’s books ahead of our 2026 McCreight Lecture in the Humanities ?

Join us Thursday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theater in Charleston for an evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author Rick Atkinson as he explores the American Revolution.

This event is free and open to the public and includes a Q&A and book signing!

Thank you to our friends at Taylor Books for helping us spread the word! 📚

09/22/2026

Check out the Fall 2026 issue of People & Mountains! The West Virginia Humanities Council’s free digital magazine is live at https://wvhumanities.org/

Here is what’s inside:

2026 McCreight Lecture Feature: 3x Pulitzer Prize winner & historian Rick Atkinson speaks Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., at Charleston’s Capitol Theater. (Contact Kyle Warmack at [email protected] or 304-346-8500 for lecture details.)

Traditional Fiber Arts: Enrica McMillon of Elkins breaks down the history of box tape looms (part of the national By the People initiative with the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage).

Appalachian History & Culture: A look into Preston County sportsman/conservationist/writer George Bird Evans and a celebration honoring 2026 National Heritage Fellow Gerry Milnes.

West Virginia Folklife Program

https://wvhumanities.org/

09/21/2026

From The Dominion Post, "Small grants make big difference: West Virginia Humanities Council funds disbursed in communities"

Joni Morris had no idea she would stumble upon an ancient graveyard behind Bass Pro Shops on Lawless Road in Morgantown, let alone her own family’s. She said the Breakiron cemetery is about a quarter of the acre it should be, per the cemetery deed, and there’s a sediment pond within 60 feet of t...

09/14/2026

Tribute to the 2026 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows, including folklorist and musician Gerry Milnes of Elkins, WV