Articles

Earlier this year, our grants team spoke with three cultural institutions along the Texas Gulf Coast about their work in the humanities: the History Center for Aransas County, the Houston Climate Justice Museum and Cultural Center, and the Texas Maritime Museum. Learn more about their service to their local communities and how they are finding new ways to engage the public.

Interview with Pam Stranahan, volunteer for the Friends of the History Center for Aransas County, Rockport

The History Center for Aransas County showcases local history and culture through exhibitions that tell the stories of the real people of Aransas County. The History Center also provides space for public workshops, meetings, and gatherings.

Please tell us about your recent programming.
Festival Tapestry: Threads of Time was on display this summer. The exhibition invited visitors to explore the interwoven stories, traditions, and vibrant moments that have shaped Rockport-Fulton's festival scene over the years.

In 2022, the Friends of the History Center for Aransas County were awarded a mini-grant from Humanities Texas to support programming for Weathering the Storms—1919 and 2017: Historic Places of Refuge. The exhibition featured posters from sixteen places that served as refuge during the 1919 storm and was part of a series of programs marking the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey.

What makes humanities education essential?
History and archaeology are the core subject areas that we use to connect with the community. While the topics may be broad, the details come down to the local story and the people who can contribute.

What is the most important thing people should know about your work?
Our exhibitions focus on stories that need telling. We have curated exhibitions such as Unsung Heroines (2022), Vietnamese Culture (2022), and Hispanic Heritage in Aransas County (2020) that have showcased these underrepresented groups and their contributions to the Gulf Coast. We also have a varied collection of artifacts and documents about the people and events in Aransas County's history.

What will visitors see if they visit The History Center this fall?
A new exhibition titled Ghost Towns of Copano Bay opened in August. It dives into the history of four 1800s-era towns that are now desolate around the bay.

Interview with Aaron Ambroso, founder and co-director of the Houston Climate Justice Museum and Cultural Center

The Houston Climate Justice Museum and Cultural Center mission is to educate and inspire transformative action on climate and environmental issues through exhibitions and programs. The museum works alongside artists and community leaders to share stories that foster opportunities for more equal well-being within a world of environmental challenges.

How do you see the humanities as being essential?
In a world where it is simple to become indifferent to the issues around us, the humanities play a vital role in helping us foster deep thought and empathy toward others. Furthermore, the humanities are essential for nurturing our personal growth, prompting introspection, and ultimately aiding us in becoming better individuals.

Tell us more about your grant funded program.
The exhibition Creosote Stories: Seeding Planthroposcenes in Northeast Houston is currently on view at Rice University. It centers around the history of the environmental and health impacts of creosote, a wood preservative used by the railroad industry during the twentieth century. The Humanities Texas grant will support the relocation of the exhibition to Northeast Houston, the area most prominently featured and significantly impacted by the use of creosote, thereby enhancing accessibility for the local community. Additionally, the exhibition will undergo expansion to incorporate a broader range of voices and experiences from other affected groups.

What do you find enjoyable about the work you are doing?
Collaborating with different groups of people and learning from them has been tremendously inspiring. It is also rewarding to blend art, museums, environmental issues, and social change together to create programs for the public.

What is the most important thing people should know about your work?
In this critical moment, it is evident that we need to change how we operate technically and socially. Rethinking the way we consume, deal with waste, and interact with energy is paramount. We are continuously working in an art and museum context to organize and mobilize a plan to make the change we want to see.

Interview with Michael Ables, executive director of the Texas Maritime Museum, Rockport

The Texas Maritime Museum takes great pride in its mission to educate the public about the fascinating and influential maritime history of Texas. The museum serves as a beacon of knowledge, shedding light on the deep-rooted connection between Texas’s history and its maritime culture.

You were recently awarded a mini-grant to support Texas Navy Day. Can you tell us more about that program?
You know, I didn’t realize that the state of Texas actually had three navies. The Texas Navy, or Texian Navy, has been going on for quite some time, but not many people know that. It's an amazing opportunity to learn about our history. All three navies stem from a different point of time in our history, and all three of them made significant contributions to why we are the state of Texas.

We have guest speakers who are archaeologists, historians, or are in the Texas Navy coming to talk to us. These presentations are usually very popular. This year, we're also putting on display a new and very cool exhibition centered on the Zavala. The Zavala was a discovery in the Galveston wharfs, and it's the only artifact of a ship from the Texas Navy. We have a remnant of this ship to display. The Zavala is named after the first Texas vice–president, Lorenzo Zavala. Our guests will be able to eat the foods that they had on the ships back then during the Texas Navy, such as grog.

Who makes your work possible?
I couldn't do half of what I do without the staff that I have. My staff allow me to go through the process from brainstorming to development to implementation. My staff is to be attributed to everything that is being accomplished.

What advice would you give to a young humanities student/professional?
Here's what I’ll say to anybody: you're going to deal with turbulence. Feel the love in what you do all the time, because then you can overcome any obstacle. Just realize it's not insurmountable.