Event Details One of our nation's most iconic First Ladies, Mamie Eisenhower endured and triumphed through adversities through her extraordinary life. Mamie held numerous roles in her lifetime and witnessed--and shape--incredible history along the way. She did it all with a "spine of steel" and a graceful spirit. Register to join Eisenhower National Historic Site Park Ranger […]
Corn and KhrushchevThe Garst Family has deep roots in the history of Iowa. Based on her family experience in Coon Rapids, Liz recounts the history of agricultural development in Iowa, from early settlement through the fabulous mid-century explosion of farm productivity, based on the hybrid seeds, machinery, fertilizers and livestock technologies promoted by her grandfather. Liz […]
Join CultureALL in the heart of Iowa for an evening of community dancing where you will experience the sights, sounds and flavors of the vibrant cultures living here. "Enter through a global bazaar with street performances and craft making, then join us in the ballroom for high energy dance moves from every continent in the […]
Cost: IMA Members $75; IMA Student Members $35; non IMA members $130This gathering is open to all - "small" is subjective. You decide how you would define your organization. Schedule:9 a.m. Registration & Refreshments 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Bringing History to Life Through Visual Art at Hoyt Sherman Place - Emily Roeder, Education Program Coordinator, Hoyt Sherman Place […]
Event Details We invite you to join the Des Moines Art Center in welcoming artist Jeffrey Gibson as the featured speaker of the annual Fingerman Lecture series. Gibson (American, born 1972) is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and convener celebrated for his painting, installation, video, and performance work. For over two decades, he has explored how […]
The Stuart Public Library will host Darcy Maulsby on April 11, 2026, for a Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau program. Maulsby takes audiences on a journey along the historic Lincoln Highway, better known today as Highway 30. Developed more than a century ago, the Lincoln Highway transformed travel in Iowa and across America. In this engaging presentation, Maulsby shares stories of innovation, […]
Join the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Iowa for this event, where Mercedes Bern-Klug (Social Work, CLAS) and Amy Colbert (Business) will discuss aging. A short musical program will open the event.
6-on-6 Girl’s Basketball in Iowa: Traditions, Transitions, and LegaciesFor most of the 20th century, Iowa was known for its devotion to a unique form of women’s sport known as 6-on-6 girls’ basketball. As other states abandoned 6-on-6 in the 1970s, Iowa remained committed to this half-court game until 1993, when the final 6-player championship was […]
Event Details Join historian Bill Douglas as he explores how efforts to establish religious norms in Iowa were balanced by the need to cooperate with people from the diverse religious traditions that made Iowa home. The Iowa History 101 webinars share Iowa stories and the history of the state through a cultural history lens on […]
Hear from poets of all ages and backgrounds, including 2025-26 Iowa Student Poet Ambassador Daniel Somotochukwu Umemezie, at the Poetry in Public Reading on the last day of the Iowa City Book Festival. This event is free and open to the public. Find more details at iowacityofliterature.org/event/poetry-in-public-reading/
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day with the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council! Join Leah Slick-Driscoll and Stephanie BadSoldier Snow of the Meskwaki Nation as they share how their community is elevating Native voices—especially youth—through food and language. This conversation will explore how longstanding indigenizing practices strengthen sovereignty, celebrate heritage, and challenge the ongoing legacies of colonialism. […]
The Malvern Public Library will host Jeff Stein on April 13, 2026 for a Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau program. Stein—an award-winning author, historian, and broadcaster—shares the groundbreaking story of how radio and television developed in Iowa and shaped life across the nation. Based on his book Making Waves, the presentation features original broadcasts, photographs, and memorabilia, while inviting audience members to reflect […]
Humanities Iowa utilizes funding from sources including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the Federation of State Humanities Councils or the Mellon Foundation.
