Programs
North Carolina Humanities believes knowledge builds community. Our programs bring North Carolinians together so that they may understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures and ideas around them and better empathize with their neighbors both near and far.
NC Humanities brings its programs into libraries, museums, historical societies, schools, and other cultural and educational organizations across the state. NC Humanities also partners with North Carolina’s cultural and heritage agencies as well as national organizations including the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution to fortify humanities engagement opportunities in North Carolina.
Programs
Click on the plus buttons below to learn more about our partnerships.
The North Carolina Center for the Book is a collection of North Carolina Humanities’ literature and reading programs. Using a variety of formats and initiatives, North Carolina Center for the Book literary programs celebrate and promote the vital importance of books, reading, libraries, and North Carolina’s literary heritage. The North Carolina Center for the Book is the state affiliate of the National Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and is supported in part by the State Library of North Carolina. Learn more at www.read.gov/cfb.
North Carolina Center for the Book programs are designed to engage North Carolinians in literature, reading, and discussion:
- North Carolina Reads – Our statewide book club for 2023.
- Read for the Lead- A read-out-loud childhood literacy initiative and author interview series.
- Great Reads from Great Places – A reading list for young readers and adults curated by all state-affiliated Centers for the Book and promoted during the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival.
- Route 1 Reads – A themed summer reading list curated by the 16 East Coast state affiliate Centers for the Book located along Route 1.
- Veterans Reading Groups – A discussion program that provides a safe space for our nation’s veterans to connect over a shared book and explore issues related to their military service and everyday life.
North Carolina Center for the Book History
The National Center for the Book was established in 1977 and today incorporates partnerships in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands to implement programs that nurture and expand a culture of literacy and reading.
The North Carolina Center for the Book was established in 1992 with programs overseen by the State Library of North Carolina. North Carolina Humanities has supported the North Carolina Center for the Book program Let’s Talk About It since 2000. In 2018, the North Carolina Center for the Book designation was moved to North Carolina Humanities, and new programs were added. The State Library of North Carolina remains a lead sponsor of the North Carolina Center for the Book’s activities.
North Carolina Humanities’ Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program is a one-of-a-kind cultural project that serves small-town museums and residents of rural America. This program is a partnership of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and state humanities councils nationwide. This program is made possible in North Carolina by NC Humanities. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress. Learn more at www.museumonmainstreet.org.
