Newsletter

This spring, Humanities Texas will conduct in-person and online professional development programs for social studies and English language arts teachers. In-person workshops include "Teaching the Civil War" in San Antonio (February 26) and Dallas (February 27), "Teaching the Literature of American Wars" in College Station (March 7), "Teaching Twentieth-Century Texas History" in Austin (April 8), and "Teaching Contemporary Popular Literature at the Secondary Level" in Dallas (April 24).

Webinars include "Experiencing the Harlem Renaissance" (January 14), "Uncovering History: Humanities Resources for Teaching the Holocaust" (January 22), "Texas Originals in the Classroom" (January 28), "Reading Like a Historian with the Digital Inquiry Group" (February 5 and 12), "Teaching Civil War Photography with the National Gallery of Art" (February 10), and "AI in the Humanities Classroom" (February 20). More»

Festive cheer filled the historic Byrne-Reed House during our fourteenth annual Holiday Book Fair on Saturday, December 7. Bibliophiles mixed and mingled with seventeen noted Texas authors, whose titles included works of fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages. Hot coffee and homemade baked goods added to the warm atmosphere as folks gathered to chat and have their books signed. Book fair and bake sale proceeds benefit Texas libraries. More»

On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Tom Lea Institute will hold a walking tour of Austin's Tom Lea Trail with stops at the Harry Ransom Center, Blanton Museum of Art, and The University of Texas Office of the Chancellor. The tour will feature UT Austin's Tom Lea holdings and showcase treasures generally not available to the public. After the tour, attendees are invited to enjoy wine and charcuterie at the Byrne-Reed House, Humanities Texas's headquarters in downtown Austin. More»

In 1918, sixteen-year-old Juanita Craft accompanied her critically ill mother to a tuberculosis treatment facility in San Angelo, only to be turned away because of their race. Craft's mother died two months later. That tragedy spurred Craft—whose grandparents had been enslaved—to a lifelong fight against racial discrimination.

In the 1930s, Craft joined the Dallas chapter of the NAACP and ultimately traversed the state, helping to organize and revive local chapters. Craft was also a mentor to Dallas’s Black youth. She led them in anti-segregation protests at restaurants, stores, and the State Fair, always emphasizing the importance of communication. "Build a bridge," she advised. "Then carry them over to your side." More»