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Each year, Humanities Texas presents awards recognizing and encouraging excellence in teaching the humanities in Texas schools. In 2013, a total of fifteen awards will be presented. Learn more about five recent Outstanding Teaching Award recipients. More»

There is still time to nominate an exceptional teacher for our 2014 Outstanding Teaching Awards! Humanities Texas is accepting nominations for the awards through Wednesday, December 11. Visit our awards page to submit a nomination.

Humanities Texas has received a $50,000 grant from The Brown Foundation, Inc. of Houston to support the expansion of its professional development workshops for English language arts teachers. In 2014, Humanities Texas will offer a one-day workshop on the Harlem Renaissance and a three-and-a-half day institute focusing on seminal works of American literature. More»

Ellen Clarke Temple is an independent publisher and writer, a philanthropist, an environmentalist, and, fortunately for Texas, a woman of determination with a strong commitment to improving her home state. She has advanced the humanities and learning in Texas for many years, in various capacities. Ellen served on the Humanities Texas Board of Directors from 1984–1989, in 2004, and as board chair in 1988. She reflected on her involvement in and advocacy for the humanities in an oral interview with staff member Erica Whittington on September 12, 2013. More»

On September 20, 2013, Humanities Texas held a one-day workshop in Houston for secondary language arts teachers on teaching the plays of William Shakespeare. Faculty lectures addressed the historical and cultural contexts of Shakespeare's works, the classical sources of Shakespearean tragedy, approaches to teaching Shakespeare's comedies, and teaching Shakespeare using performance-based strategies. More»

The singer who first performed the song "Ol' Man River" is an obscure figure today. Baritone Julius Bledsoe was among the first African Americans to appear on Broadway, but he made few recordings and his fame was soon eclipsed by the great Paul Robeson, who succeeded him in the role of Joe in the classic musical Show Boat. A critic from the New York Morning Telegraph described him as "a singer who can pick the heart right out of your body—if you don't look out." More»

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