History

The Georgia Humanities Council was founded in 1971, one of the first six state-based programs established by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Originally called the "Committee for the Humanities in Georgia", it was housed at the University of Georgia's Center for Continuing Education.

The Committee spent its early years establishing its identity, publicizing its existence, and setting up policies for the awarding of grants. Early grants were restricted to support projects that involved the humanities in relation to questions of public policy.

The Committee attracted proposals through the use of themes, such as "Georgia in Transition: Race, Liberty, and Land Use" or "Value Priorities in Georgia: The Bill of Rights, Public Responsibility, and the Public Good". The Committee increased the size of its Board and broadened the reach of its network between 1971-1978, when they attained IRS 501c3 status and official State of Georgia Incorporation. In 1980, the Committee moved to the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, out of a desire to be located near the offices of the state's government and educational systems.

In 1981, the Committee changed its name to the Georgia Endowment for the Humanities, in order to more closely align itself with the parent agency, NEH. During the 1980s, the budget grew, the staff and board size increased, and the GEH began to offer more grants on humanities topics that were no longer required to be connected to public policy. Dr. Ronald E. Benson became the Executive Director in 1981.

In 1982, the GEH established the Georgia Humanities Resource Center at Georgia Southern College. Georgia Southern circulated the Council's videos and other resources until 1990. Also during the 1980s, the Council began to fund media projects, teacher workshops, and to publish resource guides on history and literature.

In 1986, the GEH received its first appropriation from the State of Georgia. That year also marked the first Governor's Awards in the Humanities.

In 1989, the GEH changed its name to the Georgia Humanities Council. During the 1990s, the Council began to develop and conduct programs outside of the grant program. Book discussion series were developed in 1992, and they were loaned to libraries and community groups all across Georgia over the rest of the decade. With the Cultural Olympiad of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, the Council organized the "Regional Designation in the Humanities" program to recognize outstanding local initiatives that happened in the years leading up to the 1996 Olympics.

1996 was truly a watershed year for the Council, as it marked the initiation of activities that have carried forth to be major activities today. First, the University of Georgia Press published The New Georgia Guide, a project of the Georgia Humanities Council. The Guide, developed in the spirit of the 1940s WPA guides to cities and towns, features tours and essays about the history and culture of the regions of the state. The Guide was the first major success for private fundraising for the Council, including sponsorships by Coca Cola, Georgia Power, the Joseph Whitehead Foundation, and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

Also in 1996, the Council sponsored "Linking School and Community Through Character Education," a major statewide conference. Over 300 teachers, administrators, and parents attended and heard national speakers on Character Education, including Thomas Lickona, Kevin Ryan, and Eric Schaps. The CE conference lead to a full initiative, including the awarding of grants, teacher academies, and ultimately The Georgia Center for Character Education, which ran from 1999-2002.

In 1997, Dr. Jamil S. Zainaldin became the President of the Council. The Council developed a strategic plan which emphasized three signature projects: developing the New Georgia Encyclopedia, housing the Georgia Center for Character Education, and sponsoring National History Day in Georgia. The Council also began to sponsor annual Leadership Forums in 1999, and they maintained sponsorship of the Governor's Awards in the Humanities and the Grant Program.

The New Georgia Encyclopedia rapidly became the Council's largest project, with a budget of over $2,000,000. Between 1999-2002, the Council raised over $1,886,000, from the State of Georgia, the NEH, foundations (Robert W. Woodruff, Peyton Anderson, Georgia Power, James Cox, UPS), University of Georgia, corporations (BellSouth), and the Historic Chattahoochee Commission. The Encyclopedia also presented a wonderful opportunity for partnerships between the Council and the Office of the Governor, the University System of Georgia/GALILEO, and the University of Georgia Press. Now online at www.georgiaencyclopedia.org, NGE has been covered by the New York Times, Southern Living and USA Today. It has also been recognized as a national model for its innovation by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Fundraising is ongoing to insure the long-term development of the resource, which is being continuously updated and expanded.

Around 2000, the Council also had several opportunities to work with publishing projects. Oglethorpe's Dream: a Picture of Georgia came out in 2001. The volume marries beautiful photography by Diane Kirkland with a poem by Poet Laureate David Bottoms. The State of Georgia funded the printing of the book, which was a partnership with the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, and the University of Georgia Press. Also through a partnership with the University of Georgia Press, in 2003, the Council produced After O'Connor, an anthology of contemporary Georgia fiction edited by University of Georgia professor, Hugh Ruppersburg. The collection features modern literary giants like Tina McElroy Ansa, Judith Cofer Ortiz, Alice Walker, and Judson Mitcham. The Council has recently completed a photographic history of the Georgia State Capitol, with text by Dr. Tim Crimmins and Ms. Ann Farrisee and photography by Diane Kirkland. The book is being published by the University of Georgia Press and debuts Spring 2007 at the 22nd Annual Governor's Awards in the Humanities.

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