a brief history

Montanans Robert Pantzer, Pierce Mullen, Joe Ward, John Van de Wetering, and Roy Huffman are invited to Washington, D.C., to meet with officials of the National Endowment for the Humanities to discuss formation of a state humanities council in Montana.

They submit a planning proposal ($15,000), add new members Alma Jacobs, Earl Barlow, and Harold Stearns, and hire director Bruce Sievers and secretary Leslie Hargesheimer.

The incipient Committee holds a series of state conferences, and, by August, submits a proposal to NEH, with the theme "Political Power in Montana," and requesting $155,000 for 1972-73.

The full Committee's first meeting of record—including new members David Drum, James Murray, Bradley Parrish, William MacKay, Jr., and Flora Willett—occurs on October 30, 1972, in Bozeman.

A grants subcommittee is appointed by chair Pantzer, but approval of a first regrant proposal, to KUFM in Missoula, does not occur until the Committee's second meeting, December 1-2, at which time the Committee holds its first public conference, on "Political Power and Human Values in Montana" in Helena.

Membership and statewide theme continue…regrant projects include a television program on Hutterites in Montana, the "Political Decisions in Montana" television series, and the influential "Montana Land Use Conference."

Statewide conference "Politics: The Dilemma of Power and Morality," in Billings, includes Rollo May, Michael Walzer, and Senator Harold Hughes.

First MCH newsletter appears.

Director Sievers hires Margaret Kingsland as administrative assistant.

The Committee's new theme is "Private Rights and Public Choices."

Regrants include a second "Montana Land Use Conference," "Montana Local Government Review" town meetings, "Should Religious Values Influence Politics?" conference, and film documentary "Outside the Melting Pot."

Director Bruce Sievers resigns to become founding director of the California Humanities Council.

The Committee appoints Margaret Kingsland acting director, and later, director.

Sievers and Kingsland attend a first meeting of western state humanities council directors, from which the idea of a regional, and later, a national, Federation of State Humanities Councils, is born.

"Private Rights and Public Choices" continues.

Projects include a town meeting series, the film "Foreign Ethnic Influences in Montana" and the conference "Montana and the West: New Directions" with the Montana Historical Society.

MCH sponsorship of the Historical Society annual conference continues for many years.

"Traditions in Transition" is the theme for an eighteen-month grant period from NEH.

"Montana and the West: Perspectives on Its Past, Its Present, and Its Preservation," in Helena.

NEH Reauthorization legislation from Congress significantly broadens program opportunities for state councils, removing the requirement of focus on public policy.

"The Future of Montana's Economy," with Malcolm Forbes and Ernst F. Schumacher, in Helena.

"Women Aware: Traditions in Transition," Bozeman.

Two new statewide themes appear: "Montana and the West: New Directions," and "Heritage and Challenge."

MCH funds oral history projects under "New Directions," and, in what is the beginning of the Media Collection, begins to circulate video and film series such as The American Short Story.

"Governor's Conference on Families."

First Governor's appointments to Committee: Alene Cooper and Perry Melton.

"Aging Lifestyles: Growing Old in Montana," "Eclipse '79 Celebration," "Violence in the Family," "Women and Technology: Deciding What's Appropriate," "Montana Agriculture: The Economics and the Myth," "The River is Wider Than It Seems," and "Who Owns the West?" are among regrant projects.

Continued MCH attention to oral history initiatives.

Membership changes from three- to four-year terms.

Conferences "Freedom To Die" and "Retelling One's Own: Indian Story-Telling in Education and World View," "Work in the Eighties," "Appropriate Technology: Its Implications, Its Values, Its Claims."

"Liberty, Decency, Feminism: Three Perspectives on Pornography," and the film "Next Year Country."

Significant federal budget reductions and leadership changes at NEH impact state humanities councils…Committee undertakes discussion and planning for "new directions."

Appointment of a New Directions subcommittee.

"Montanans at Work."

"Architecture and Community: A. J. Gibson's Missoula."

Continuing New Directions discussion.

Biennial proposal to NEH first announces "packaged programs" and a "speakers bureau."

"Butte: The Urban Frontier."

"Reflections in Montana" radio series proposal wins NEH "Chairman's Award for Excellence"…Vigilante Players' "An American Agricultural Experience."

MCH celebrates Tenth Anniversary, May 14, in Helena. First Speakers Bureau brochure, with thirteen presenters.

Minigrants offered.

Planning and media grant categories identified.

"A. B. Guthrie's Vanishing Paradise."

"Jeannette Rankin: The Woman Who Voted No."

"The Economics and the Myth."

MCH purchases first computer.

Gerald Fetz elected to Federation of State Humanities Councils board.

"Reflections in Montana" debut.

Planning commences for MCH involvement in Montana Centennial and for a "Montana Myths" theme.

"Summer Seminars for Montana Secondary School Teachers."

"Montana Myths: Sacred Stories, Sacred Cows."

First Montana Humanist Awards: Richard Roeder and Lynda and Michael Sexson.

"LOGON '83" wins Federation's Schwartz Award for best regrant program nationally.

First catalog of MCH media collection appears.

Gerald Fetz acting director.

MCH office partially automated.

Humanities Awards: Gordon Brittan and Albert Borgmann.

"Distant Voices: Words and Images of the Blackfeet."

"Let's Talk About It."

"Bach in Bozeman: From Musicology to Mathematics."

"My Grandmother's Star Quilt Honors Me."

First grant for Centennial literary anthology.

"Contrary Warriors."

Margaret Kingsland on leave, heading the Federation of State Humanities Councils…Annick Smith serves as acting director in 1985-86.

Vigilante Players "Homespun."

"Crow and Gros Ventre Indian Ledger Art."

"Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering."

"The Changing Face of Humanity in the Nuclear Age."

Humanities Award winners: Mary Clearman Blew and Diane Sands.

Ron Perrin elected to Federation of State Humanities Councils board.

U. S. Constitution "Bicentennial Bookshelf."

"Sweet Grass and Bitter Root."

Cultural Congress in Billings.

Celebration of Fifteenth Anniversary.

"Images of the West: Fact, Fantasy, and Memory."

Humanities Award winner: Pat Williams.

The Last Best Place is published.

"The Warrior: Formation, Transformation, Defamation."

"Feminism in the 90s: Learning from Our History, Envisioning Our Future."

Humanities Award winners: editorial board of The Last Best Place.

"A Festival of Chinese Culture."

"Learning the Habits of the Heart" radio series.

Humanities Award winners: Michael Malone and Arnie Malina.

"The Last Best Place: Montana Myths" video.

The "pink bird" (fountain?) logo first appears.

"The Book Group."

"Constitutional Symposium '89: Montana's 1972 Constitution."

"In the Thoreau Tradition."

"Out West: Stories from the Big Sky,"

Weekend Institutes for the Study of Humanities (WISH) begin.

"Mozart in Montana: A Humanistic 200 Years Commemoration."

"Beyond Columbus: Rediscovering the Americas."

Expansion of reading and discussion group program into ReadOn!

Scholar in the Schools begins.

Twentieth Anniversary Gala, Helena.

Humanities Awards to five original members and Margaret Kingsland.

Artist Monte Dolack's MCH poster "Landscapes of the Mind" unveiled.

"American Encounters: Lewis and Clark, the People and the Land."

Planning begins for "Montana This Morning."

Twentieth Anniversary celebrated in Bozeman, Missoula, Billings, and Great Falls.

Planning for Fellowship program begins.

"In the Thoreau Tradition II."

"Their Eyes Tell Everything."

"Montana This Morning" debut on KPAX—humanities on commercial television!

"Big Sky Radio" debut.

"Last Stand at Little Big Horn."

Immediate Action Grants announced.

"Hunting in the Montana Tradition."

Margaret Kingsland on sabbatical, Jerry Fetz serves as acting director, again.

White House awards Montana writer and humanities scholar William Kittredge a Charles Frankel Prize.

MCH wins Federation Schwartz Prize for "Montana This Morning," best council-conducted project nationally.

"Tribal Voices" initiative.

"Shakespeare in the Schools."

"The Burden of Knowledge."

"I'll Ride That Horse."

Members of the 104th U.S. Congress target NEH for elimination.

Massive budget cuts affect NEH, although state councils are largely spared.

"In the Thoreau Tradition III."

"Montanans New and Old and the Search for a Workable Future."

First Governor's Humanities Awards: Ivan Doig, Montana Association of Churches, William Sullivan (KPAX).

Margaret Kingsland retires after twenty-two years.

Mark Sherouse becomes new Executive Director.

"Tribal Voices" reaches all seven Montana reservations.

Fellowship program established.

MCH initiates HUMTALK, Internet discussion list linking all state humanities councils, the Federation, and NEH.

Establishes its website and creates another Internet listserv for ongoing discussion of humanities in Montana.

"Montana Visions, Montana Values: A Conference on Civic Culture in Montana."

Governor's Humanities Awards: Joe McDonald, Antoinette Hagener, Dan Cushman.

White House awards former Missoula Mayor Dan Kemmis a Charles Frankel Prize.

"Sacred Journey of the Nez Perce."

MCH Endowment established with Montana Community Foundation.

Silver Anniversary events in Great Falls, Terry, Missoula, Helena, Bozeman.

First edition of Rendezvous, MCH magazine.

"A. B. Guthrie's The Big Sky—After Fifty Years."

Jamie Doggett elected to Federation of State Humanities Councils board.

"Brahms in Bozeman."

"Montana Constitutional Convention 25th Anniversary"

MCH acquires the Montana Center for the Book.

Committee incorporates, with new Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

Joseph Kinsey Howard conference in Great Falls.

Speakers Bureau grows to more than seventy programs.

"Five Rivers Festival of Film in Missoula."

Helena resident Stephen Ambrose awarded National Humanities Medal.

Governor's Humanities Awards honorees are David Walter of Helena and Anna Zellick of Lewistown.

"Bozeman Trail heritage conference."

"What Holds Us Together: Common Cultural History and Games of the Past (A Native American Perspective on the Value of Old Games."

"How the West Was Fun: The Explorers" wins Telly.

NEA awards ArtsREACH grant to MCH and Montana Center for the Book for Montana Literary Festival.

NEH Self-Study and visit of consultants Bill Lang, Bruce Sievers, and Edie Manza.

"The Silent Potemkin—Voices From the Past."

"Asian Settlers in Early Montana."

"Butte, America: From Their Labors."

"Montana Historic Bridge Conference."

NEH Model Humanities Project grant: "Toward Deliberative Dialogue in Western Communities."

"Toward Deliberative Dialogue in Western Communities" progresses.

Lilly Endowment grant for "Art of Association."

First Montana Festival of the Book.

"The Jazz Age in Paris: 1914-40," "The 100 Years That Made 2000 A. D.," "Montana's Millennial Literary Map," "Lewis and Clark Scholar in Residence – 2000" (Gary Moulton), "American Schools: Public Choices," "Champions of the World: The Fort Shaw Indian Girls Basketball Team of 1904," "Vocal Music of the Assiniboine and Sioux."

MCH wins its third Schwartz Prize for Excellence in Public Programming for 1999's Bozeman Trail Heritage Conference.

Second Montana Festival of the Book.

Bookfest mini-grant events in Billings and Great Falls.

Library of Congress renews Montana Center for the Book designation through 2004.

Second Lewis and Clark scholar in residence (Jonathan Logan Alllen).

"Shamans and the Origin of Art" in Bozeman.

Jamie Doggett elected chair of board of Federation of State Humanities Councils.

Governor's Humanities Awards to Greg Keeler, Paul Lauren, Henrietta Mann, Harriet Meloy, Helen "Gus" Miller, Lee Rostad, and the Western Heritage Center.

Grants awarded for "Barn Again! An American Icon" traveling exhibit to museums in Cascade, Clancy, Cut Bank, Dillon, Hardin, Lewistown, and Malta.

Major bookfest grant from National Endowment for the Arts.

Third Montana Festival of the Book.

Bookfest mini-grants to Bozeman, Great Falls, and Helena.

Development of 9-11 special edition of Speakers Bureau.

Missoula high school student Ledah Wilcox wins national Letters About Literature contest.

Grants include research fellowship on African Americans in territorial Montana.

Documentary on the Montana Constitutional Convention (and support for its 30th anniversary conference).

Home Ground radio series.

Lecture series on the 225th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Billings residency for poet (and now National Endowment for the Arts Chairman-nominee) Dana Gioia.

Kalispell lecture and discussion series on 9-11.

Presentations on PBS' Frontier House by its historian/ consultants.

Lectures preceding Shakespeare in the Parks' summer productions of Henry IV, Part I.

Missoula series on public issues in healthcare.

Fourth Montana Festival of the Book.

Screening of Stone Reader and appearance by director Mark Moskowitz.

Gala readers include Leif Enger, Robert Wrigley, and David Quammen.

Inauguration of One Book Montana with Mildred Walker's Winter Wheat. More than fifty groups statewide participate, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio readings and panels.

Governor's Humanities Award honorees include Diana Eck, Harry Fritz, Sue Hart, Cindy Kittredge, and James Welch.

Major grants include "Confluence of Cultures" and "Montana and the Silk Road."

MCH former chair Jamie Doggett retires as chair of the board of directors of the Federation of State Humanities Councils.

READON! becomes OpenBook.

Book festival grants in Billings, Great Falls, and Helena.

MCH wins its fourth Schwartz Prize from the Federation of State Humanities Councils, honoring the nation's outstanding public humanities program.

One Book Montana features James Welch's Fools Crow.

Letters About Literature attracts more than 600 Montana entries.

Outstanding regrants include "The Bill of Rights: Alive and Well, or Under Siege?", publication of The Salish People and the Expedition of Lewis and Clark, the documentary "Evelyn Cameron: Photographing Montana," the "Children of Children" exhibit at Southgate Mall in Missoula; and an update and revision of the nationally-acclaimed "Discovering Lewis & Clark" website.

The fifth Montana Festival of the Book features a special edition of NPR's "Selected Shorts" program, gala readers Mark Spragg, James Lee Burke, and Chuck Palahniuk.

MCH and its Montana Center for the Book are honored by the Library of Congress with the Daniel Boorstin Award for excellence in promoting Montana literature, libraries, and literacy.

Farcountry Press publishes Eat Our Words: Montana Writers' Cookbook, a fund-raiser for the Montana Center for the Book.

The 2006 Montana Festival of the Book attracts an audience of some 4,700, featuring gala readers Rick Bass, Sandra Alcosser, and James Crumley.

Governor's Humanities Award honorees include Art Ortenberg and Liz Claiborne, Jamie Doggett, Darrell Kipp, Joseph Mussulman, and Bob and Pauline Poore.

One Book Montana features Diane Smith's Letters From Yellowstone.

Major grants include the publication of Beaver Steals Fire by the University of Nebraska Press and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Missoula, "The Historical Jesus in the 21st Century," Rocky Mountain College, Billings, and the "Burton K. Wheeler and the Coming of the War," Wheeler Center, Bozeman.

Key Ingredients: America By Food tours Butte, Libby, Conrad, Huntley, and Colstrip; concludes its tour in 2007 in Bigfork.

"Humanities Boutique."

One Book Montana is Ivan Doig's This House of Sky.

The seventh Montana Festival of the Book features William Kittredge, Barry Lopez, Ivan Doig, Jess Walter, Greg Mortensen, Kirby Larson, Dorothy Patent, David James Duncan, David Quammen, and many others; attracts more than 6,000.

Notable grants include book festivals in Helena and Meagher County; publication of Dennis Swibold's The Copper Chorus: Mining, Politics, and the Montana Press, 1889-1959; "Montana By Food" photo exhibit; Montana Mosaic teachers' institute; Montana Indian Education for All conference; Champions of the World documentary.

MCH hosts biennial meeting of Western Humanities Directors.

Jamie Doggett appointed by the White House, confirmed by the Senate, to a six-year term on the National Humanities Council.

Yvonne Gritzner retires after fifteen years with MCH.

Major governance and other changes enacted.

"Key Ingredients" concludes in Bigfork.

"The Meaning of Service" reading and discussion program with Montana Conservation Corps.

Grants include "Governor's Food and Agriculture Summit," "Home Ground Radio," "We're Making History/Billings' First 125 Years," "Beyond Borders and Boundaries: David Thompson and the North American Fur Trade," and more.

One Book Montana is Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing.

Governor's Humanities Award honorees included Rose Marie Aus (Glendive), Marvin Granger (Billings), Eve Malo (Dillon), William Marcus (Missoula), and Johnnie Lockett Thomas (Miles City).

Montana Festival of the Book includes Deirdre McNamer, James Lee Burke, Ron Carlson, Guy Vanderhaeghe, Governor Schweitzer, Jag, the inaugural Define-a-thon, Poetry under the Big Sky, and much more.

Humanities Montana gets new name, new look, new messages.

Public Affairs Initiative: "Can We Talk? Public Discourse in Montana" conference Bozeman.

35th anniversary.

"Can We Talk" continues in Great Falls

Humanities Montana receive a $76,000 "Congressionally-directed grant" from the US Department of Education thanks to Senator Max Baucus, to "continue civic education programs."

Grants include "Facing the Storm: the Story of the American Bison," "The Write Question," "The Tenth Amendment: Do State Really Matter?", "Religion, Violence and Law—A Community Forum on Islam in Central and Southwest Asia," and "Our Lives Along the River: Discussions of Yellowstone River Valley Life."

One Book Montana selection is Kirby Larson's Hattie Big Sky.

Montana Library Association honors Humanities Montana as a "special friend of libraries."

New website, new online grant and other applications.

Humanities Montana hosts annual conference of state humanities council program directors.

Montana Festival of the Book features Thomas McGuane, Andre Dubus, Mary Clearman Blew, James Lee Burke, Rick Bass, William Kittredge and Annick Smith.

Executive Director Mark Sherouse announces his retirement, effective in 2009; board appoints Kim Anderson acting executive director.

Ken Egan becomes Executive Director.

Farewell Reception for Mark Sherouse.

"Can We Talk?" Conference, Billings.

"Reason and Respect" Conference, Hamilton.

The Surrounded chosen as One Book Montana.

Humanities Roundtable, HM's social network, launches.

Reflect: Community Readings and Conversations begins.

Civic Education Institute in Billings.

Montana Festival of the Book features mystery writers Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, and Laura Lippman.

Grants include "Tribal Histories Gathering in Bozeman," screening and discussion of "Prodigal Sons" in Helena, "A-Z Lecture Series" at MSU-Bozeman, "Butte Digital Film Project," and "High Plains Book Festival" in Billings.

Humanities Montana receives its fifth Schwartz Prize for its Public Affairs Initiative.

2010 Richard Hugo's Selected Poems chosen as One Book Montana.

NEH Site Visit in Missoula.

"State of Montana" public forum with Pat Williams and Lorents Grosfield, moderated by Brian Kahn.

Strategic Planning Retreat, Camus Creek Ranch.

Hosting NEH Chairman Jim Leach on "Civility Tour" in Billings.

Meaning of Service grant renewed.

Humanities Montana Festival of the Book features Hugo Karaoke and A Shiver Runs Through It: The Ghost Gala.

Grants provided for films focused on "the Red Corner" and "Indian Relay."

Grants provided for "End of Life Choices Conference" in Helena, "German Gulch Interpretive Website," "Glacier National Park Exhibit," Montana Musueum of Art and Culture, and more.

Record number of requests for OpenBook programs.

Humanities Montana staff present on social media and rural programs at National Humanities Conference.

Humanities Montana board approves “Strategic Plan, 2011-15” with commitment to making programs relevant to all Montanans, streamlining grants processes, improving fundraising, and positioning HM’s staff to serve the state of Montana.

Montana Conversations: Speakers in the Schools program launched, offering 70 free programs to schools around the state.

Record number of Opportunity Grants awarded, mainly to smaller museums and libraries.

Film and digital grants awarded to projects such as “Winter in the Blood.”

Grants fund projects such as “Beyond the Breadbowl: Hunger, Excess and the American Appetite” and “Heartland in Judith Gap.”

40th anniversary celebrations, including recognizing 37 Humanities Heroes and conducting HM’s first endowment-building campaign, 40 at 40.

HM hosts “We the People: Conversations on the Montana and U. S. Constitutions” in Helena, bringing together scholars, citizens, justices, and Constitutional Convention delegates to honor the 40th anniversary of Montana Constitution.

Hometown Humanities launches in Miles City.

Record attendance at HM Festival of the Book, featuring a gala reading with Ivan Doig, David Quammen, and Pam Houston and outtakes from the film "Winter in the Blood," supported in part by HM grants.

Record number of grants—75—awarded, many going to smaller communities and organizations.

Speakers in the Schools program reaches 30 schools.

Julie Dial and Samantha Dwyer present “Humanities Work!” at National Humanities Conference in Chicago.

Communications refresh with redesigned website and promotional materials.