Interested in what we discuss by the water cooler? Peruse our “Friday Faves” below.

Keira, president and CEO:

• 10,000 sleeves for paper coffee mugs were printed with passages of prose and poetry. Read more about this project in St. Paul.
• “3 Indy Spoken Word Nights You Need To See” via NUVO.
• Check out “The strange foods that Americans loved a century ago.”

Kristen, director of communications and development:

• Harriet Tubman’s hymnal. A custom-made hat for Michael Jackson. Signs from the #BlackLivesMatter movement. These are just a few of things you will be able to see on display at the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture, opening later this fall. Get a sneak peek.
• This makes me happy: From now until Feb. 15 McDonald’s is replacing toys in Happy Meals with books (Spanish language books in some locations!).

Leah, director of programs and community engagement:

• I can’t stop thinking about this interview with the scientist who uncovered the lead in Flint’s water supply. So much to chew over, including how he worked with residents to collect data and his jeremiad about losing the public’s trust by failing to do research for the public good. Though he’s concerned with scientific research, I’m thinking about where his methods and critiques could and should overlap with the humanities.
• The Mathers Museum of World Cultures in Bloomington is hosting the Smithsonian’s exhibit “Beyond Bollywood,” about the contributions of Indian Americans to the U.S. I saw this exhibit when I was in DC last spring—it’s a fascinating history and a great way to learn about Indiana’s third largest immigrant group.
• Artist Jeanine Michna-Bales imagined what it would be like to be a slave seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad; her naturally lit photographs of sites along escape routes are incredibly evocative. Many of the photos, like “The River Jordan,” capture views of Indiana, the first free state many escaping slaves would have seen

Jacqueline Cromleigh, communications manager and program associate:

• A cartoon representation of Pride & Prejudice is just what you need to celebrate its 200 years!
• Do you ever fixate on your daily routine? This post details the typical day-in-the-life of Mozart.
• A new app designed to keep your creativity going – Flowstate. Ready to write? Set your time, font, color and more to get you in the zone. The key? Don’t stop and stay focused.

Nancy Conner, director of grants and Novel Conversations:

• Volunteers can help to tag & transcribe images & documents in the National Archives via Citizen Archivist.
• A unified resource space for anyone interested in the visualization of complex networks. View Visual Complexity.

Eric Wiete, graduate public history intern:

• Terminal Lance: The White Donkey was released this week. It sold out within 36 hours! It’s a graphic novel about the war in Iraq, written and drawn by a Marine veteran. I just got my copy yesterday and haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but it supposed to be a realistic (and critical) look at life in the military, overseas deployments, combat, and the transition to civilian life. Here’s an interview with the creator from a popular veteran blog.

Any humanities highlights from your week? We would love to hear from you in the comment section below.