PRESS RELEASE: March 26, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Andrew Quintana, Communications Director
aquintana@flahum.org | 727-873-2003
Seven scholars and artists will give presentations on Florida’s contributions to the American tale at libraries in Brevard, Duval and Sarasota County.
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (March 26, 2026) — Florida Humanities is excited to announce our participation in By the People: Conversations Beyond 250, a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia in collaboration with local partners. Together, these programs explore 250 years of the nation’s cultural life and imagine its shared future. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (the Center).
As part of this nationwide initiative, Florida Humanities is launching a new statewide speaker series that reconsiders the Sunshine State’s role in our country’s story. Florida Reflections: Conversations on Florida’s Contribution to the American Tale, invites audiences to libraries at different corners of our state to hear from historians, scholars and artists who will explore topics that look beyond familiar narratives and reconsider Florida’s place in American history.
“As Florida joins the nation in commemorating America 250, Florida Reflections affirms our role as a vital crossroads of cultures, ideas, and democratic expression,” said Nashid Madyun, Florida Humanities Executive Director. “Through thoughtful dialogue and shared storytelling, these initiatives invite Floridians of all generations to explore the everlasting values that shape our past, present, and future. It is both a celebration and a call to engage that honors our history while inspiring a more inclusive and informed civic life.”
From Florida’s surprising role in the American Revolution to reflections on civic responsibility and cultural expression today, this series connects past and present in thoughtful and compelling ways.
“This partnership amplifies the voices from communities nationwide and the cultural practices that define them,” says Phoebe Stein, the Federation’s president. “It’s a celebration of the humanities as a living, breathing force in our country—one that has brought people together to listen, learn, and create since the nation’s earliest days.”
Each program in the By The People initiative will be featured on a multimedia story map produced by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Content related to or generated by this work will be released throughout 2026 on Smithsonian’s media platforms through a series of articles, short documentaries, and podcasts.
“As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, By the People invites communities to celebrate their stories and imagine a shared future grounded in creativity and cultural understanding,” says Halle Butvin, director of special projects at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. “With voices from every corner of the country, the initiative serves our mission by illuminating what it means to belong to each other, to history, and to the possibilities ahead.”
See a full list of Florida Reflections speakers and programs on Florida Humanities’ America 250 webpage (https://floridahumanities.org/america-250-everlasting-florida/).
Learn more about By the People on the Center’s website (https://festival.si.edu/) or on the Federation’s website at www.statehumanities.org/bythepeople/
Support for Florida Reflections was provided in part by the Thomas M. & Irene B. Kirbo Charitable Foundation, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Community Foundation for Brevard.
About Florida Humanities
Florida Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the history, literature, cultures, and personal stories that offer Floridians a better understanding of themselves, their communities, and their state. Since 1973, Florida Humanities has awarded more than $20 million in support of statewide cultural resources and public programs strongly rooted in the humanities. These programs preserve Florida’s diverse history and heritage, promote civic engagement and community dialogue, and provide opportunities to reflect on the future of Florida. Learn more at www.FloridaHumanities.org
About the Federation of State Humanities Councils
Founded in 1977, the Federation of State Humanities Councils (Federation) is the membership organization of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils. The Federation supports, connects, and amplifies the work and voices of our members, demonstrating councils’ value for communities and their collective impact on civic health and cultural vibrancy. The Federation envisions a fully resourced, inclusive, and thriving humanities council network. Learn more about the Federation and its member councils at statehumanities.org.
About the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage promotes greater understanding and sustainability of cultural heritage across the United States and around the world through research, education, and community engagement. The center is a research and educational unit of the Smithsonian that produces the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Cultural Vitality Program, the online Folklife Magazine, exhibitions, symposia, publications, and educational materials. It also maintains the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Learn more at festival.si.edu.
