What will America’s next 250 years look like and how do individuals come together to shape this future? With the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the rearview mirror, Indiana Humanities is looking to continue to engage Indiana residents in conversations about American history, civics, and democracy as we look forward to the next 250. We hope to encourage conversations about America’s founding principles, the history of American democracy, how Americans play a role in our system of government, and how citizens relate to one another to build the communities that form the civic fabric of our nation.

We work with humanities scholars, experts, elders, and culture-bearers to shape and lead our programs. Humanities scholars bring deep expertise and provide valuable context, and they’re also often skilled at sharing information and unlocking conversation around a big idea or shared text. Further, scholars are good at helping people become comfortable with tension and gray area, with the idea that answers are rarely “yes” or “no” but often more complex than we ever realized.