Wyoming Humanities is urgently calling on Wyoming residents to support essential cultural and educational initiatives in the face of devastating federal funding cuts. On the evening of April 2, 2025, all state humanities councils were notified that their awarded National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants, including general operating funds for the current fiscal year, have been fully canceled, effective April 2, 2025. This decision threatens Wyoming Humanities’ ability to continue providing invaluable educational and cultural programming.

For decades, NEH funding has been the cornerstone of Wyoming Humanities’ success, supporting a wide array of programs ranging from community lectures and cultural discussions to the promotion of literature, history, and the arts. These initiatives not only enhance local communities but also provide opportunities for residents across the state to connect with and engage in Wyoming’s shared heritage.

The federal funding cuts will significantly impact Wyoming Humanities’ ability to sustain popular programs such as Native Narratives, the Center for the Book, Smithsonian exhibits, and more. These programs offer opportunities for meaningful cultural exchange, exploration of history, and celebration of the arts, and have become a vital part of Wyoming’s educational landscape.

“We need our community’s voice now more than ever,” said Executive Director Shawn Reese. “Whether you’ve benefited from our programs directly or simply believe in the power of the humanities to unite and inspire, your support is crucial. We are urging citizens to reach out to their elected representatives to restore funding for the NEH and ensure the continued success of these programs.”

How You Can Help

1. Contact Your Elected Representatives – Call or email your state and federal legislators to urge them to restore funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and advocate for the humanities programs that benefit all of Wyoming. See the script for contacting elected officials below.

• Make a Donation – If you are able, please consider making a financial contribution to support Wyoming Humanities during this critical time. Every donation helps sustain our programming and ensures that the humanities continue to thrive in Wyoming.

• Spread the Word – Share this message with your friends, family, and colleagues to raise awareness of the impact these funding cuts could have on Wyoming’s cultural programs.

About Wyoming Humanities

Wyoming Humanities brings together a network of individuals and organizations to complete projects that help our state explore Wyoming and the human experience. Through its programs and grants, Wyoming Humanities supports the hundreds of non-profit organizations that make up Wyoming’s creative and cultural sector, while also creating tailored programs to meet the specific needs of each community.

Wyoming Humanities is committed to realizing the inherent power and equality of Wyoming citizens. We empower communities and individuals to cultivate and share diverse narratives that honor differences, explore common ground, and celebrate our shared humanity, an effort that is more critical now than ever before.

For more information on how you can help support Wyoming Humanities, click here.

Click here to view a list of frequently asked questions.

UPDATE as of May 20, 2025

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Script for Contacting Elected Officials: 

Protect NEH/ Save the Wyoming Humanities Council 

As a constituent, I am [writing/calling] to urgently request that you support the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in the face of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) attempt to substantially reduce its staff, cut the agency’s grant programs, and rescind grants that have already been awarded. 

NEH is the only agency that funds our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils, which provide vital cultural services and critical funding to local nonprofit organizations across the nation. 

[Say something about your local connection to Wyoming Humanities here.] 

NEH was created by an act of Congress in 1965 and reaffirmed by Republican and Democratic Presidents and legislators over the following 60 years. DOGE’s reductions to the NEH budget and workforce will block the agency’s ability to carry out Congressional intent. 

Every Congress for 50 years has supported the state humanities councils and their effective distribution of federal dollars across America. These funds go directly to states, including your district.

The loss of NEH funding to humanities councils will decimate the ability of these nonprofits to serve communities across our state, eliminating programs that are essential to our region’s cultural infrastructure. 

Again, I urge you to protect NEH and NEH funding for Wyoming Humanities.  

Many have been reading and hearing news about current and future status of federal funding, the State of Wyoming budget, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) executive orders and state bills. This is a good opportunity for an update on the effects of these on Wyoming Humanities grants and programs.

For 50 years, Wyoming Humanities has been an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Wyoming was one of the first states to become an independent, nonprofit affiliate. Since 2012, Wyoming Humanities has been grateful to receive a modest amount of funding from the state of Wyoming. Both federal and state funding are constantly under scrutiny.

Federal and state funding has always been uncertain. Today’s uncertainty seems different, however. Funding and donations from individuals and corporations are increasingly vital for us to explore the stories and ideas shaping Wyoming.

Federal Funding. Eighty percent of the Wyoming Humanities budget comes from federal funding. Federal funds cover Wyoming Humanities’ staff expenses, travel, and service contracts for accounting, IT, and marketing.  We have been operating under a “continuing resolution” funding since October. The most recent continuing resolution expires on March 14.

As I write this, it is not clear if there will be a shutdown, which would require us to rely on our budget reserves.

During the first week of March, I and arts and cultural ambassadors met with the Wyoming delegation to discuss the importance of NEH funding. Funding the NEH means we can continue to support local arts and cultural organizations, which can explore histories, develop exhibits, and bring authors and books to communities across the state.

State Funding. Ten percent of our funding comes from the state of Wyoming. These funds serve as the source of our grants program, supporting local organizations for public programs, publications, preservation projects, and digital media like documentaries.

We have one more year of funding before the next biennial budget. We are grateful to be able to continue making grants for important projects. We make monthly grants for smaller projects and are looking forward to receiving applications for our new Community Culture Grant which will support projects that explore Wyoming stories and ideas.

Had the 2025 supplemental budget been approved, we would have become part of the regular state budget. Since it didn’t pass, we will need to ask the legislature to support funding for local histories, discussions, and storytelling again.

DEI bills. President Trump’s executive orders on DEI may impact Wyoming Humanities. It is too early to see as court challenges are underway on First Amendment grounds. We will adjust as necessary while continuing to explore the compelling tales of persistence and change.

There was a more consequential anti-DEI bill, Wyoming Senate File 103. Had it not been vetoed or amended by the House, the bill would have restricted our ability to do “programs or activities that reference race or ethnicity.”  The version of the bill that passed the Senate would have prevented Wyoming Humanities from participating in histories of the Heart Mountain Japanese American Internment Camp, the Chinese Massacre, Basques in Wyoming, and other important and often inspiring stories of community and persistence. The bill would have also prevented us from using privately raised dollars for these efforts.

What you can do. If you believe in the importance of local history, your community library and museum, or engaging all corners of Wyoming on the connections between our past, present, and future—please attend programs in your community. Please join the Pronghorn Reads community and celebrate the power of books. Listen to podcasts about new ideas and people’s journeys in their lives. Let your elected officials know these things matter to you and your neighbors. And, as always, please continue to support Wyoming Humanities.

The relevance of Wyoming Humanities is greater now, more than ever. 

As an independent nonprofit organization, Wyoming Humanities is nimble and will adjust to these changes while being true to our important mission.  But we can’t do it without you.  Donors like you have made our programming possible, and your support will be even more important as we look into an uncertain future.

Click here to learn more about donating to Wyoming Humanities and how your contribution makes a difference.

These are uncertain times.

In the past few weeks, we have seen a flurry of activity at the federal level and a fluster of debates at the state level.  Uncertainty has consequences—it can knock us off our feet. But uncertainty is also something we can lean into—and ground us in what we do.

At Wyoming Humanities, we understand that uncertainty is a constant. Whether at the federal or state level, changes in policies, funding, and priorities can create challenges. While we cannot predict what the future holds, we can control how we respond—with resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.

The value of the humanities—storytelling, history, philosophy, and the arts—cannot be understated in times of change. These disciplines help us understand where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going. They provide the foundation for critical thinking, civic engagement, and the rich cultural fabric that makes Wyoming unique.

Wyoming Humanities remains steadfast. We continue to foster discussions that bring people together, invest in projects that strengthen our communities, and amplify the voices that tell Wyoming’s stories. Our recent initiatives, from documentary storytelling to community programs, are designed to uplift and inform, even when external circumstances shift.

But we can’t do it alone. The work we do is powered by partnerships, donors, and engaged citizens who believe in the transformative power of the humanities. Your support—whether through advocacy, financial contributions, or participation in our programs—ensures that Wyoming remains a place where culture and ideas thrive, regardless of political and economic landscapes.

As we navigate these changes together, we encourage you to stay informed, stay involved, and continue championing the humanities in Wyoming. Our purpose remains clear: to support conversations, inspire learning, and cultivate a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. Together, we can turn uncertainty into opportunity and strengthen our communities for generations to come.

Thank you for being part of our journey. We look forward to shaping Wyoming’s future—together.

If you want to explore the stories and ideas that shape us, look no further than Shell and Encampment, Wyoming.

With generous funding made possible by an appropriation of the Wyoming State Legislature, Wyoming Humanities provided grants to these towns last year for programs one would expect to find in larger cities.

These picturesque towns already have broad horizons, but community members decided to broaden them even further.

Shell, located at the northern edge of Wyoming, and Encampment, at the southern edge, are sparsely populated. A little more than eighty people live in Shell, and a little less than 450 live in Encampment. However, population is not an indicator of the richness of heritage and the thirst for connection in these tiny towns.

Wyoming Humanities provided a small grant, less than two thousand dollars, to the Big Horn County Citizens for Economic Development for an inaugural humanities workshop. The Trappers Creek Workshop and Lecture Series connected farmers, ranchers, retirees, creatives, and scholars of the Big Horn Basin to their place globally. The Shell lecture series included workshops on developing film and video projects, interview techniques with historic ranching families, and nature journaling with watercolors.

The Trappers Creek Workshop and Lecture series will continue again this summer with another grant from Wyoming Humanities. It will include workshops exploring the Wyoming ethos of independence, caring for neighbors, telling tales, and preserving family histories.

In Encampment, the Grand Encampment Museum hosted a film series called “Filming the West.”  One of the many films screened was The Treasure of Hidden Valley, produced in 1976 by Encampment residents to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial. Filming the West also featured Battle of the Red Buttes, written and co-produced by Wyoming historian and journalist Candy Moulton, and Who She Is, a film by the Lander production company Caldera about missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Larry Hicks wrote the grant “speaks very highly of the work by the museum and Wyoming Humanities insight into the value of promoting and protecting our western history and the culture and customs that define us as Westerners.” 

While we often hear about the importance of broadband and digital connectivity, the heart of a thriving community lies in the personal and emotional bonds we build. Living in a rural area comes with unique challenges, including isolation. Strong human connections can be a lifeline, providing emotional support and a sense of belonging.

At Wyoming Humanities, we believe that human connection is the heart of rural life. By nurturing relationships and embracing our shared stories, we create a future where everyone feels valued, supported, and connected to the rich tapestry of Wyoming’s past, present, and future.

Wyoming Humanities is proud to support the programs and projects that bring the humanities to life in our rural towns. By engaging in the humanities, we strengthen individual communities and the fabric of Wyoming itself. In every story shared, every lesson learned, and every connection made, the humanities remind us that no place is too small to make a significant impact on our collective understanding of what it means to be human.

Photo Credit: Sam Mihara, NEH Jefferson Lecturer, in front of a Heart Mountain barracks at the Japanese American National Museum. Photo by Rainer Hosch for the National Endowment for the Humanities

Supporting the humanities is not just an investment in preserving the past but a commitment to shaping a better future. The humanities teach us to think deeply about ethics, culture, and the human condition. They help us navigate complex societal challenges, from questions of identity and inclusion to debates about policy and justice. With the humanities, we can improve our understanding of each other and address the root causes of division.

Donor support to Wyoming Humanities allows us to sponsor statewide speaking tours and discussion groups that explore stories and ideas that shape us.

Last year, Wyoming Humanities sponsored such a tour featuring Sam Mihara.

Sam, who is now in his nineties, was a childhood prisoner during WWII at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center near Powell, Wyoming. Heart Mountain was one of ten U.S. camps that held 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. Sam has made it his life goal to keep alive the memory. “The most important lesson learned is how this gross injustice relates to today’s issues involving other racial or religious groups,” he told me in an email.

Speaking in Laramie, Casper, Buffalo, Glenrock, Douglas, Cheyenne, Sheridan, and at a standing-room-only library room in Gilette, Mihara discussed the erosion of civil liberties fed by fear and prejudice. Through a photographic chronology, including the works of Dorthea Lange, he told stories of the emotional, economic, and social harm of breaking apart families and forced removal. He uses his Heart Mountain experience as a moral and historical reconning.

An excerpt from Mihara’s book, Blindsided:  The Life and Times of Sam Mihara, is included in the Wyoming Humanities publication Democracy Under Construction. He wrote: “I have forgiven America for what it did for my family, but I refuse to let it forget. Because we decide to distance ourselves from a part of our past, it is too easy to repeat the mistakes that took us down a dangerous path before. Registries. Detention centers. Racism. Religions segregation. They still exist here in the United States, and their victims still suffer.”

The National Endowment for the Humanities has recently awarded Mihara one of the most prestigious acknowledgments of efforts in the humanities, the Jefferson Lecture, named in honor of Thomas Jefferson.

The Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, established by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1972, is the highest honor conferred for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities. The annual lecture recognizes an individual who has made significant scholarly contributions and who can communicate the knowledge and wisdom of the humanities in a broadly appealing way.

Mihara will deliver his lecture “Memories of Injustice” at 6 p.m. PST on January 15, 2025, in Los Angeles, hosted at the Japanese American National Museum and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be streamed online at neh.gov.

Mihara’s story is a compelling reason to invest in the humanities, not only to safeguard our history but also to cultivate a society grounded in empathy, understanding, and shared humanity. Mihara reminds us that history is not merely a collection of dates and events, but a tapestry woven from the lived experiences of real people. Recognizing these stories is essential for ensuring we do not repeat past mistakes.

By supporting the humanities, we honor voices like Mihara’s and ensure their lessons echo for generations.

Please donate today.

At Wyoming Humanities, we aim to explore the ideas and stories that shape our state—stories of heritage, resilience, curiosity, and connection. The generous support of donors like you powers this work. Thanks to your commitment, Wyoming Humanities has brought impactful programs to communities across Wyoming, fostering understanding and celebrating the voices that define us.

Because of you, we have brought the Smithsonian exhibit “Sparks: Places of Innovation” to communities across the state. This traveling exhibit offered smaller towns a chance to engage with Wyoming’s history of ingenuity, creativity, and progress—and none of it would have been possible without the generous support of our donors.

Your support also enables us to preserve and share Indigenous heritage through the Signs and Stories of Wind River. This audio tour of places of significance to the Eastern Shoshone features the late Wyoming Humanities Board member and Eastern Shoshone Elder Willie LeClair using Plains Indian Sign Language. The project allows us to highlight a historic and culturally rich language, bridging generations and inviting us all to connect with the deep histories of the Plains tribes.

With United We Stand Discuss and Construct community conversations, we’ve witnessed firsthand how open dialogue strengthens understanding. These gatherings held in Casper, Laramie, Sheridan, and Cody allowed spaces for people of all backgrounds to come together, reflect, and discuss complex topics that matter to Wyoming communities. The support of donors like you fosters these discussions, building a more thoughtful and resilient society.

Thanks to you, we can provide stipends and travel costs for Indigenous knowledge keepers to share their wisdom with schools across the state. Indian Education for All Stipends and Travel Funds supports teachers, students, and Indigenous knowledge.

Our Winds of Change and What’s Your Why podcast series are a medium for sharing stories of Wyoming and the ideas of influential thinkers. Each episode of Winds of Change delves into aspects of our state’s culture, history, and environment, amplifying voices that might not otherwise be heard. It’s an accessible format that brings Wyoming Humanities to people in all corners of the state—and even beyond. What’s Your Why podcasts feature prominent authors, historians, artists, and their life journeys.

And for readers, Pronghorn Reads has brought the joy of reading to every county in Wyoming, sparking imaginations and fostering a lifelong love for reading. Your support helps us promote reading and the pleasure of sharing a good book.

These programs represent Wyoming Humanities’ dedication to enriching lives, but they are only possible with your help. As we reflect on the past year’s achievements, we are immensely grateful for your partnership in creating programs that unite, inspire, and elevate Wyoming. Thank you for your generosity and belief in the transformative power of the humanities. Together, we’ll continue to nurture a culture of learning and community across the state.

Willie LeClair, a respected member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe, made significant contributions to the preservation and revitalization of Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), a vital form of communication among Native American tribes of the Great Plains. As a fluent practitioner and cultural ambassador, LeClair recognized the critical importance of keeping this endangered language alive, not only for its historical value but for the cultural integrity of the many tribes that once used it.

Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) is an integral part of the cultural and linguistic heritage of many Native American tribes from the Great Plains. As a humanities pursuit, PISL holds significance for its ability to shed light on human communication, cultural exchange, and historical interactions.

PISL transcends spoken languages, offering a unique form of non-verbal communication that allowed for interactions among different tribes, including those who spoke distinct languages. This sign language, therefore, stands as a testament to the adaptability and complexity of human communication, key areas of study within the humanities. PISL is not only as a linguistic system but also as a cultural artifact that reveals social, political, and economic interactions across vast regions.

LeClair was a respected Eastern Shoshone Elder and former board member of Wyoming Humanities. He passed away in 2023.

LeClair’s efforts to preserve PISL centered around his active participation in educational outreach and cultural demonstrations. He often traveled to schools, libraries, museums, and cultural events, sharing his knowledge of PISL with both Native and non-Native audiences. His workshops and presentations highlighted how PISL functioned as a bridge language among diverse tribes, facilitating communication across linguistic divides. By teaching this language, he helped dispel misconceptions about Native American cultures, underscoring their diversity and sophisticated systems of communication.

LeClair’s work was crucial in passing PISL on to younger generations. He viewed the language as a living connection to the past, linking today’s Native peoples to their ancestors. His dedication to teaching young Native Americans ensured that this rich tradition of sign language did not disappear, contributing to a broader effort to revitalize indigenous languages and cultural practices.

Wyoming Humanities has recently launched a TravelStory tour of places of significance to the Eastern Shoshone and Wind River Reservation community. You can find it here. For each of the places, Willie tells stories about the places using Plains Indian Sign Language. Locations include  Fort Washakie, South Pass, Fort Bridger, the gravesites of Sacajawea and Washakie, the several missions on Wind River Reservation.

As with many aspects of indigenous cultures, the study of PISL is intertwined with efforts to preserve and revitalize Native American cultural heritage. It offers insights into indigenous ways of knowing, storytelling, and meaning-making—core concerns of humanities disciplines like anthropology, history, and linguistics. Examining PISL is not just a linguistic endeavor but also a profound exploration of human culture and history.

We need your help to continue to preserve and celebrate indigenous languages. Please donate to Wyoming Humanities today.

Milward Simpson has been an unwavering advocate for the arts and humanities in Wyoming. His departure from the Wyoming Humanities board marks the end of an era characterized by his passion, vision, and commitment to enriching the state’s cultural landscape.

With a deep love for the arts and the people of Wyoming, Simpson has spent years championing initiatives that elevate creative expression, historical understanding, and community engagement.

As an accomplished leader and advocate, Milward has made an indelible mark on Wyoming’s cultural and educational institutions. He tirelessly advocates for funding, integrating arts and culture into education, and promoting the importance of art in fostering a sense of place, identity, and community.

In a 2020 Wyoming Humanities What’s Your Why podcast, Milward said, “I encourage everyone to go out of their way to discover the cultural resources in your area, not just in your town but your region. Find out who those folks are. Find out who’s doing arts and cultural work. Who are the small nonprofit arts organizations? Do you have a local chapter of the State Historical Society there? Do you spend any time in your local library? Do you have some historic buildings that you’re celebrating there? What are the opportunities around you to understand the culture of your area and its history?

Simpson’s advocacy extends far beyond policy. He builds partnerships, connects with local artists, and works alongside educators and historians to ensure that Wyoming’s rich heritage and creative spirit are preserved and celebrated. His work on behalf of the Wyoming Humanities Council, the Wyoming Arts Council, and other organizations brought vital resources and attention to artists and scholars, ensuring that rural and urban communities could benefit from cultural programming.

In an introduction to the Demorest Keynote Lecturer, Dr. Susan Rogers, at the 2024 Casper College Humanities Festival, Milward noted: “The humanities have been defined as those disciplines that study the expressions of human beings as a means of exploring and revealing what it means to be human. They challenge people to self-reflect, think abstractly, and create. In short, the humanities attempt to understand the human condition, including its mysteries and paradoxes. Why do we love the music that we love? What does that say about us and our sense of self, and why is our love of music a conduit to our creativity?”

Milward Simpson’s legacy as an advocate for the arts and humanities in Wyoming will endure for generations. Though his formal role as a board member is concluding, the positive impact of his work will continue to resonate in our cultural institutions, the creative lives he has nurtured, and the strong foundation he has helped build for future advocates. Wyoming is richer for his service, and we are all grateful for his dedication to fostering a vibrant cultural landscape in our state.

One of the challenges of being in the business of the humanities is actually describing what the humanities are.

There is an academic definition—literature, history, philosophy, language, cultural studies, etc. Defining the humanities this way resonates with some. However, for the public at large (including myself), this seems abstract and irrelevant to our everyday lives.

To address the challenge of defining the humanities, the board of directors of Wyoming Humanities recently changed our mission statement. The essence of the humanities are the ideas and stories that shape us, and we invite Wyoming to explore them. This is a worthy mission.

Last month I learned of another beautiful way to explain what the humanities are.

At the end of July, Wyoming Humanities was pleased to host the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Shelly Lowe (Navajo) and Deputy Chair Tony Mitchell on their first ever visit to Wyoming. Chair Lowe is the first Native American and the second woman to chair the NEH (the other being Wyoming’s Lynne Cheney).

During her trip, Chair Lowe participated in a panel discussion sponsored by Wyoming Humanities. The discussion coincided with the inauguration of the Mineta-Simpson Institute at the Heart Mountain Japanese American Confinement Site’s annual pilgrimage. Other panelists included the president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, the director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the president-elect of the American Psychological Association.

In her remarks, Chair Lowe confessed that she too had been challenged by defining the humanities. Now she has an elegant response. For her, the humanities are creation stories.

 “For Tribal people, creation stories are very important. They teach us who we are. They teach us who we are supposed to be. They teach us how we have relationships with one another. They teach us how we have relationships with the land and environment. They teach us what is important and what we need to teach our children and how we treat our elders. Creation stories are all humanities.”

We were pleased to invite Chair Lowe to explore several Wyoming creation stories.

At a hike to Medicine Wheel, we introduced her to Native student interpretive rangers for whom Wyoming Humanities has provided grant funding. The mysterious Medicine Wheel is a creation story of a sacred and spiritual type, and it connects people and cultures with something greater and divine.

At the Meeteetse Museum, we learned of its creation starting with the archetypal photographs of Charles Belden. The collection of cowboy and ranching images created the inspiration to preserve other aspects of Meeteetse’s history.

There are many creation stories at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The Center’s collection of world-class museums show the interconnectedness of cultures and the contexts in which they were created.

At Heart Mountain, we heard the painful and important creation stories of democratic ideals. As creation stories often do, the first-hand accounts of those who were incarcerated at Heart Mountain contain moral and ethical lessons that must continue to be shared and passed down to future generations.

Chair Lowe’s explanation that the humanities are all creation stories was an aha moment for me. And we were pleased to invite her to experience many of Wyoming’s creation stories, all of which are threads woven together to create a tapestry of the Wyoming experience that should be preserved and celebrated.

We invite you to explore the stories and ideas that create and shape us. Your support is crucial in ensuring these stories—whether sacred, historical, or cultural—are passed down to future generations and enrich our understanding of who we are and what we value.

Please consider donating today to help us continue this important work.

The story of human history is written in inventions and innovations. People are problem solvers. Sometimes we invent—create a completely new thing or a process based on new ideas. More often, we innovate—that is, we introduce a fresh idea or an invention into use that creates a new way of doing or thinking.

Innovation is the subject of the latest Smithsonian Museum on Main Street traveling exhibit sponsored by Wyoming Humanities and made possible by supporters like you.

Spark! Places of Innovation is touring Wyoming through 2025. It has been in Torrington and opened in Douglas this week, with additional appearances in Casper, Powell, Cheyenne, and Buffalo.

The idea behind Spark! is that innovation can flourish in rural places. It takes creative thinkers, a spirit of collaboration and flexibility, leadership, an environment of free-flowing ideas, and a tolerance for taking risks.

There are many problems we face in rural communities. How do we encourage people to explore our town? How do we encourage more local businesses? How do we make vacant or blighted properties useful? How do we improve safety, housing, and health care?

Innovation, however, is not just limited to how we develop our communities—innovation also relates to how we come together to solve complex problems. How do we encourage more youth engagement, strengthen community relationships, and keep citizens informed and active in local government?

At its core, innovation is directly tied to the humanities.

The humanities foster innovation by developing critical thinking. Humanities subjects like literature, art, and philosophy encourage creativity and imagination. An understanding of the human experience channels values, cultures, and histories to create new ideas. Studying the humanities helps us navigate complex moral and ethical dilemmas that come from those new ideas and technologies.

Innovation is important. It is fueled by the humanities, and it can address the challenges we face in our small and spread-out towns.

Your donations allow Wyoming Humanities to bring inspiring exhibits to more communities, where they can ignite creativity, foster collaboration, and encourage problem-solving. Your help gives us the opportunity to explore the ideas and stories that shape us. With your support, we can innovate.

June is a month commemorations and cloth, and a walk-through downtown Laramie is a stroll through the dynamic tapestries of our time. Of course, one can find an American flag properly flying in the Laramie breeze, but what interests me is the proliferation of different cloth statements. The downtown Laramie flag scene is reflection of changes in cultural identity, ideals, and historical memory.

One business proudly flies an upside-down United States flag. I first noticed it after reading the  reporting of such a  flag having been flown at the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alito. Many businesses have rainbow flags displayed year-round, while some display the flag during Pride Month. Looking at the bumper stickers, t-shirts, and ballcaps of downtown patrons, one often sees a variation to Old Glory in which the red, white, and blue are replaced with monochromatic black and white. Often these black and white flags are tattered.

Flag Day commemorates the 1777 adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States. The national day of recognition for Old Glory was first enacted in 1949. Wilber D. Nesbit penned A Song for Flag Day:

“Your Flag and my Flag!

And how it flies today

In your land and my land

And half a world away.

Rose-r and blood-red

The stripes forever gleam

Snow-white and soul-white

The good forefather’s dream

Sky-blue and true-blue with stars to gleam alright—

The glorious guidon of the day; a shelter through the night.”

Juneteenth commemorates the delivery on June 19, 1865, to Galveston, Texas, a message that all slaves are free. “This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor” read the order. A flag for Juneteenth was first displayed in 1997. The upper half of the flag is blue, and the lower half red, and the colors are divided by a horizontal arch. In the middle of the flag is a white star (a wink to the Lone Star State) surrounded by a larger bursting star.

Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. It also celebrates the contributions, struggles and joy of the LGBTQ+ community. The Pride flag design dates to 1978. Its original colors represent sex, life, healing, sunlight, nature, art, serenity, and spirit.

The cloths of these commemorations are displays of different historical narratives and memories. They symbolize the aspirations (or defiance) of ideals and values.

It feels that the variety of flags, the non-traditional displays, the reduction of color to simple black and white (or conversely, a rainbow of colors) are markers of a growing tribalism. The flags of June are a tapestry of the things that unite and divide us.

If you are interested in supporting the ideas and stories that shape our state, please consider a donation to Wyoming Humanities.

Above the west door of Old Main at the University of Wyoming, there is a beautiful stained glass. It is the Wyoming Territorial seal from 1869. The seal is a shield with a train in front of a mountain, a shovel, pick, plow and shepherd’s crook, and an arm holding a sword. Above the shield reads in Latin, Cedant Arma Togae. Let arms yield to the gown.

I never donned a gown when I graduated nearly thirty years ago. In fact, last week I attended the first college graduation ceremony I’d ever been to — my son’s graduation. It’s exciting to think about his future and the future of all the other graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences.

In 2023, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences released results of a project called Humanities Indicators. The indicators are one of “many ways of understanding the value of a college education in the humanities.”

According to Wyoming’s profile in Humanities Indicators, there are 4,900 humanities majors working full-time in the state. This represents two percent of the total Wyoming workforce. As a comparison, four percent of the nation’s workforce have humanities degrees.

A Wyoming graduate in a humanities field, 22 to 29 years old, makes on average $38,000. The 35- to 65-year-old humanities major makes an average of $65,500. The humanities graduate will earn more than those with degrees in behavioral and social sciences, education, and the arts. Degrees in engineering, business, and the natural sciences earn more than the humanities degree holder.

The humanities graduate can expect occupations in education, service and sales, management, administrative support, business and finance, the law, and many other professions. In fact, 23 percent of people with legal jobs had a degree in the humanities.

The indicators are interesting; however, they provide information on the other ways to measure the value of the humanities.

Milward Simpson, former chair of Wyoming Humanities, recently circulated an article by Dr. Timothy Morton of Rice University. Dr. Morton is a professor of English and teaches a humanities class for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students to be better scientists.

“A fact is an interpretation of data. In physics class, you learn how to interpret physics data, find patterns, relate those patterns to other ones, and produce facts about them … Humanities classes, however, prepare you to understand what facts are, period – whether they’re based on biology or on the Bible, nutrition science or novels” writes Dr. Morton. “A questioning, open-minded attitude is an essential life skill.”

The humanities are important intellectual pursuits, even if they are accompaniments to other disciplines and sciences. My son received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science with a minor in philosophy. While political science isn’t necessarily a humanities degree, the minor in philosophy provides him with the theoretical perspectives that guide an understanding of politics and governance.

My son’s education in political science and philosophy are important. I think of the violence and rancor of our politics and conflicts across the globe and reflect on the Wyoming Territorial seal. Cedant arma togae symbolized a transition from violence (“arms”) to education (“gown”).

The humanities symbolizes a transition from knowing to understanding.

As we celebrate the achievements of graduates embarking on diverse paths, cherish the humanities not just for their economic value, but for their timeless capacity to nurture curious minds and shape empathetic hearts, enriching both individual lives and society as a whole.

If you are interested in supporting language preservation and learning the ideas and stories from unlikely sources, please support Wyoming Humanities.