The Federation of State Humanities Councils has launched "Democracy and the Informed Citizen," a grassroots initiative supported by the Pulitzer Prizes.
As part of the initiative, 49 state and local humanities councils across the United States are hosting programs to discuss how Americans gather and assess the information that allows them to be active and responsible participants in the democratic process.
Journalism is at the heart of the developing slate of events, which are funded by a $1.7 million grant from the Mellon Foundation.
In four states in particular — Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin — the Pulitzer Prizes are working to bring past journalism winners and finalists into communities to discuss their process and purpose. While the Federation's overall initiative kicked off earlier this spring, events will ramp up over the summer and into Fall-Winter 2018-19.
Programs range from community conversations to public forums and lectures, teacher institutes to student workshops, and from broadcasts, podcasts, and livestream events to environmental hikes and public summits. Within the diverse formats, subjects, and audiences, is the common exploration of what it means to be an informed citizen in today’s society.
"Democracy and the Informed Citizen" in part builds upon the sucess of the 2016 Pulitzer Campfires, a close partnership between the Prizes and the Federation that resulted in 300 events across America.
Check the Pulitzer.org events calendar for events near you. It and the website will be updated to share stories and materials from the programming beyond local audiences.