A publication of Mass Humanities
Spring 2018
I’m Retiring, but I’ve Never Had More Hope for the Future by David Tebaldi I’m going, friends. Long ago I found my calling in the public humanities and have been the director of a state humanities council ever since—39 years total, 33 here in my native Massachusetts. This fall I will retire.
“ Mass Humanities has been my life’s work for such a long time and it’s been such an enormously enriching and gratifying experience, I’ll miss it.”
I’ve been reflecting on my retirement a lot lately, which I suppose is typical. On the one hand, I have the usual mixed feelings about stepping away: Mass Humanities has been my life’s work for such a long time and it’s been such an enormously enriching and gratifying experience, I’ll miss it. The job has given me uncountable opportunities to work with a vast array of smart, interesting, and creative people who understand and appreciate the civic value of the humanities and for that I will be forever grateful. (See page 3 of this report for highlights of projects I’m proud to have been a part of over the years.) But on the other hand, there’s another, very different reason for my mixed feelings about stepping away: the state of the humanities, the country, the world. I’ll be brief in listing the woes. The fragmentation of American society is well documented, with yawning and seemingly unbridgeable partisan divides. We lack any vision of a common good. Civility and decorum are best observed in history books. Cynicism—perhaps justifiably— is rampant. It is not uncommon to read articles on the disintegration of American community and the rise of isolation and loneliness. Globally, racism and nationalism are on the rise, anti-democratic strongmen are locking themselves into power, and above it all, climate change towers on the not-so-distant horizon. And when we need the arts and humanities more than ever, the Trump Administration wants to eliminate the NEA and NEH (again). This means two things to me. One, I feel like state humanities councils have, to a certain extent, failed in their mission to inform and enlighten public discourse. Continued on page 2
In This Issue 2017 Annual Report ..............page 4 The David Tebaldi Fund ...........................page 12
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The search for a common good is the domain of the humanities. History, literature, philosophy, and cultural studies provide us with the means of understanding each other, and ourselves. The humanities—particularly public issue-oriented programs like those organized and sponsored by state humanities councils—are supposed to provide broader context, help make connections between disparate elements, and build community and mutual understanding.
I don’t believe this is pie-in-the-sky thinking, either. The evidence for optimism is everywhere. New research challenges the myth of the unhappy, underemployed humanities graduate, as their salary and job satisfaction levels (it turns out) are fully on par with other majors. More and more humanities institutions are turning outward—reaching out to the public and embracing their role as communicators and defenders of a civic ideal. Full-throated defenses of the humanities as fostering, as de Tocqueville said, “Poetry, eloquence, wit, imagination, depth of thought”—the lifeblood of democracy—are appearing in the media on a regular basis. We seem to be moving away from the assumption that the humanities are a frivolity, a nice to have, not a need to have. They are essential. Even more importantly, I gain optimism from what I can only call a general trend toward diversity across all areas of society. It feels like the spirit of inclusivity—the belief that the humanities are for everyone, not just a few—is more widespread and more vigorous than ever. This is a good thing. As a society we seem to be experiencing a critical mass of increased awareness of barriers, a broad desire to do something about it, and crucially, an understanding of how to make lasting changes. Proof of this is omnipresent, from #MeToo and #TimesUp to Black Lives Matter, trans acceptance and much, much more.
“ It feels like the spirit of inclusivity—the belief that the humanities are for everyone, not just a few—is more widespread and more vigorous than ever.” Inadequate funding is a major factor here: we have never been able to achieve a large enough scale on a shoestring. We also spend too much of our time preaching to the choir. Everyone reading this already agrees with our mission wholeheartedly. What we need to do is find ways to engage as broad an audience as possible and effectively demonstrate how the humanities strengthen the civic, cultural, and social fabric of society. Two—and stay with me here—despite all of that, I am extremely optimistic for the future. I believe with all my heart that we’ll get over this moment, reverse this trend; that the future is not one of intolerance, violence and despair but exactly the opposite: one of civility, diversity, morality, and free expression, where the humanities help ensure that opposing sides maintain respect for each other, that people with different viewpoints are sought out and welcomed, that ethical principles are refined and followed. I refuse to believe that what we see now will be our fate. 2
This is precisely the direction Mass Humanities has gone in in the last ten years: the Clemente Course in the Humanities, Engaging New Audiences grant-making theme, and Reading Frederick Douglass events have all been designed with the goal of increasing access to humanities programming and moving the conversation about equity and justice to the fore. I’m happy to announce that to ensure the continuation of this programming emphasis, the Mass Humanities Board of Directors has established The David Tebaldi Fund and is seeking contributions to it (more information on the back page of this report). This fund will, in a sense, allow me to continue these efforts into the future. I’m humbled to have a fund named after me and can only hope it helps the public humanities remain essential to civic life—for everyone—in Massachusetts. As I go, I want to say thank you for your friendship and support. Mass Humanities exists only through collaborations, partnerships, and contributions of time, talent, and treasure from people like you. I’m hanging up my spurs, but I’ve never been more hopeful.
Charting a Career Highlights from David Tebaldi’s tenure
1985
Hired!
David Tebaldi starts as Executive Director of Mass Humanities after a decade of studying and teaching philosophy. Staff: 3. Budget: $500k.
1987 Shifting Gears Placed scholars in residence in six state parks to lead groups in exploring changes in the local economies over time—and how those changes affected each community’s understanding of itself.
1991 Different People, Different Places 2,000 Massachusetts residents examined the environmental and cultural legacy of the European encounter with the Americas through readings and scholar-led discussions in public libraries.
2001 MA Clemente Course established The Clemente Course provides college-level humanities courses in five subject areas free of charge to low income adults in Boston, Brockton, Springfield, Worcester and New Bedford.
1999 Women’s Leadership Installation The contributions of six women to public life in the Commonwealth were commemorated in a work of art permanently on display at the State House in Boston.
2002 Understanding Islam State-wide library program in which scholars led reading and discussion programs developed in response to the events of September 11 and their aftermath.
2005 Mass Moments Mass Moments, a content-rich digital almanac of Massachusetts history, is launched. Visit massmoments.org for more.
2012 Fund for New Communities established 2018 Retires,
Tebaldi Fund announced David retires at 71. The Tebaldi Fund ensures that Mass Humanities continues to focus on equality, diversity and inclusion in its programming. Staff: 9. Budget: $1.8 million. Endowment: $2.1 million.
Raised $1.2M to match a $425k NEH Challenge Grant, establishing a permanent endowment to support the Clemente Course and other programs designed for underserved audiences in Massachusetts.
Under David’s 33 years of leadership, Mass Humanities made thousands of grants totaling more than $10 million, reaching every community in the Commonwealth.
Annual Report
2017
Program Activity
2017 Grants Mass Humanities awarded 73 grants totaling $418,618 to 36 towns and cities across the Commonwealth.
Mass Moments The Mass Moments website received a major upgrade in 2017. After a year of technological tinkering, historical research, and design development, a completely revamped website was unveiled in October. Sleek, modern, and accessible, the new site makes it easy to explore the Commonwealth’s history through quotes, photographs, and stories highlighting important events. Visit massmoments.org.
Open & Honest A major program that took place in 2017 was Open & Honest, funded by a special grant from the NEH. It consisted of statewide organized readings of civil rights speeches and other short writings followed by open conversation on race, rights and the lasting legacy of American slavery. The program culminated in a screening and discussion of The Harvest, a documentary film about one Southern town’s experience with public school desegregation and how it compared with Boston’s, at the Hibernian Hall in Roxbury.
The Clemente Course Socioeconomic circumstances should not stand in the way of an education in the humanities. In 2017 our Clemente Course continued to help ensure that disadvantaged students receive tuition-free, college-accredited instruction. Seventy-two such students graduated from our five Clemente Course sites, each earning six transferable college credits.
Reading Frederick Douglass Twelve events across the state attracted more than 1,700 local residents to Reading Frederick Douglass readings. The famous abolitionist’s words echo across centuries with a message of equality and racial justice. As usual, some readings were complemented by parades, facilitated discussions, Douglass reenactors, songs from church choirs, and musical and dance performances.
Family Adventures in Reading (FAIR) FAIR became part of our grants program in 2017. Three FAIR grants were awarded, to Lawrence, Sharon and Plainville, each featuring storytellers delivering scholar-chosen children’s literature to audiences of children and their caretakers. Attendees kept the books they read, which means they continued to build literacy skills even after the FAIR ended.
Literature & Medicine Like FAIR, Literature & Medicine became part of our grants program in 2017. Two six-month-long reading and discussion programs were supported, one in Springfield and one in Amherst, offering healthcare professionals the opportunity to reflect on and improve their work.
Southeast
$3,000 to the Center for Independent Documentary in Walpole for the Boston premiere and community panel discussion of the film Birth of a Movement: The Battle over America’s First Blockbuster $15,000 to the Center For Independent Documentary in Walpole for the creation of a teacher’s guide and three short films that tell the stories of Native child removal, forced assimilation, and more $3,000 to the Center for Independent Documentary in Walpole for a screening and discussion of the documentary film The Man in the Cowboy Hat $7,500 to Centro Communitario de Trabajadores in New Bedford for a project that will create the oral histories of forty Central American immigrant workers $7,500 to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society for transition of the Bradford House Museum to focus on the stories of the daughters who inhabited the house
Abolitionist reenactors and local civil rights organizations paired up to read the abolitionist Independence Day speech by Frederick Douglass in Brockton.
$500 to the Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Association in Brockton for a public reading and moderated discussion of Douglass’s speech known as “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” $1,300 to the New Bedford Art Museum for a morning-long event with facilitated discussion on the uses of art for communication with people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia $3,100 to New Bedford Ballet for a facilitated discussion and live performance of Esther’s Journey for fifth graders $15,000 to the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center for an exhibit and oral histories documenting 20th century labor practices and social and labor contract negotiations in the local fishing industry $9,115 to New Bedford for Hip History NB, a local history and interpretation project that uses hip hop to engage area middle school students $500 to the New Bedford Historical Society for a facilitated reading of Douglass’s speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” with poet Everett Hoagland $2,150 to the Plainville Public Library for a four-session Family Adventures in Reading series in partnership with a local bookstore $5,000 to the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum in New Bedford to do research, historic documentation, and interpretative writing about the house museum and its inhabitants $850 to Seaport Art Walk in New Bedford for a discussion program on the history and future of sustainable fisheries, questions of ethical responsibility, and the role of art in prompting action
$3,000 to the Sharon Public Library for a six-session Family Adventures in Reading series with storyteller Karen Chace $3,500 to Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford for a scholar-facilitated discussion and a live theatrical production of Lois Lowry’s The Giver to area students less familiar with theatre
Africano Center led a monthly series of humanities discussions and cultural programs aimed toward, and developed with, Waltham’s African immigrant community.
The Irish Language Society conducted an oral history project exploring the importance of the Irish language among Irish immigrants in the Boston area.
Northeast
$2,000 to the Amesbury Carriage Museum for the creation of a catalog of their collection of carriages and sleighs $3,280 to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum in Lowell for the screening of a documentary and discussion of the nature and meaning of immigrant and refugee resiliency $3,000 to The Community Group in Lawrence for a sixsession Family Adventures in Reading series with storyteller Nicolette Nordin Heavey $500 to The Highlands Coalition in Lynn for a scholar-led discussion of civil rights, especially as reflected in American jazz $5,000 to The House of Seven Gables in Salem for an exhibition, lecture series, and series of conversations related to the impact of labor, servitude, and slavery over four centuries
$6,095 to Lawrence Community Works for a youth-led community development project investigating identities in Lawrence through research, photography, and documentation $500 to the New Lynn Coalition for the seventh annual communal reading of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Metrowest Boston
$1,868 to the Bentley College Center for Business Ethics for a three-session migration-themed discussion project for recent Central American immigrants in Waltham $15,000 to Brandeis University for the creation and presentation of a web-based exhibition on gender-based segregation in the construction industry
$3,000 to Brandeis University for the facilitation of an art and architectural history program for residents and staff at retirement/assisted living facilities $15,000 to The Robbins House in Concord for the development of a multimedia, interactive educational program about civil rights from slavery to the present day $2,000 to the Vine Lake Preservation Trust in Medfield for the photographing and inventorying of 260 18th century gravestones in Medfield’s Vine Lake Cemetery
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$2,000 to the University of Massachusetts Boston to inventory the papers of TheresaIndia Young, noted fiber artist, educator, community organizer, and activist
$1,500 to the Greenfield Historical Society to inventory artifacts from three local businesses and explore connections between skilled labor and buying power
Pioneer Valley
$3,500 to Hatfield Historical Society for research on the society’s collection of business records, photos, and artifacts from the local machine shop to understand how it grew and prospered
$1,800 to Baystate Health Systems for a six-session reading and discussion series for health professionals to support the social and emotional aspects of patient care
$6,000 to The Literacy Project in Greenfield for memoir-writing workshops serving low-income and immigrant residents
$2,810 to Baystate Health Systems in Springfield for a seven-month, ethics-based reading-and-discussion group for bedside care providers on the theme of patient-centered care MASS MoCA developed new public humanities programs to complement an exhibition by Taryn Smith, whose art revolves around Russian culture and Russo-American relations.
On Equal Terms, a mixed-media installation previously funded by Mass Humanities, was reimagined as a web-based exhibition about gender-based segregation in the construction industry.
Greater Boston
$15,000 to the Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Somerville for a series of public educational programs for their upcoming all-female production of Julius Caesar $15,000 to Documentary Educational Resources for preproduction work on a film documenting current efforts to revive the apparel industry in the U.S., including textile mills in MA $7,500 to Documentary Educational Resources in Watertown for the creation of a curriculum to accompany the documentary film Our Mockingbird, exploring Harper Lee’s novel $15,000 to The Ground Truth Project in Boston for a series of audio documentaries provoking discussion on the value of immigrant music, culture, and experiences for the social life of the Commonwealth
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$2,000 to The History Project in Boston for inventorying, processing, and digitizing the John Quinn AIDS Memorial Books $7,500 to the Irish Language Society of Boston for an oral history project exploring the importance of the Irish language among Irish immigrants in the Boston area $7,500 to the Museum of African American History in Boston for a series of events in observance of the International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition $3,485 to the Somerville Museum for a series of five discussion events on Somerville’s economic history held in public spaces, from bars to social service nonprofits $450 to Union Capital Boston in Roxbury for a presentation by an author and civil rights leader on the civil rights themes of the last fifty years and the challenges of today $3,500 to the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry in Roxbury for a reading of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Riverside Church speech and a screening and discussion of the documentary Passage at St. Augustine: The 1964 Black Lives Matter Movement That Transformed America
$3,000 to Blues to Green in Huntington for a panel discussion on racial justice as it relates to the evolution of American music at the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival $1,935 to the Charlemont Federated Church for a reading of Frederick Douglass’ speech, known as “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” followed by conversation and musical performance $5,000 to Critical Connections in Longmeadow for a series of conversations exploring threats to civil rights and liberties of vulnerable communities, effective responses, and how such threats affect the country’s social fabric $15,000 to Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield for a project engaging the public about the history of the town meeting and identity formation through community readings and a weekend-long cultural fair
$15,000 to New England Public Radio for three sessions of a free after-school program in journalism, radio/web production, and storytelling for high school students in Springfield and Holyoke $7,500 to the Town of Williamsburg for the creation of three wayside signs, a brochure, and a digital “story map” of the site of the 1874 Williamsburg Reservoir Dam disaster $3,000 to Traprock Peace Center in Greenfield for a one-day public forum on the legacy and contemporary relevance of Jane Addams $2,275 to Silverthorne Theater Company in South Hadley for two performances and postperformance scholar-facilitated discussions of Jean Dany Joachim’s Ta Voix Poete $2,410 to the Veterans Education Project in Amherst for a six-month Literature & Medicine series
$1,500 to Greenfield Community College for a weekly reading-and-writing group for probationers, probation officers, and judges on the subject of reentering society from prison The Ashfield Town Spectacle engaged the public about the history of the town meeting and identity formation through community readings and a weekend-long cultural fair.
“ Clemente is about the humanities,
”
but also about building community.
$7,500 to the Western Massachusetts Writing Project at UMass Amherst for a summer camp for middle-school students and professional development workshops for Springfield teachers on engaging with local history through narrative writing
Central
$15,000 to Casa Cultural Dominicana of Worcester for an original theatrical production about the Dominican Republic and Dominican immigrants in the U.S. $6,500 to Clark University for an after-school poetry program for low-income, multilingual middleschool students with a thematic focus on migration $3,000 to Fitchburg State University for six discussion events of the “Community Read” program centered on Robert Putnam’s Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis $500 to Future Focus Media in Worcester for a scripted mock trial and post-performance discussion at the annual communal reading of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” $7,500 to the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton to revamp the museum’s audio folklore tour
$3,500 to Pow! Wow! Worcester for a film screening and discussion event on Worcester’s history and the role of public art in community development $1,670 to Preservation Worcester for day trips to historically important local urban landscapes with students of the University Park Campus school $15,000 to the Worcester Art Museum for an exhibit of photographs left by a local photographer that capture issues of African-American migration, community membership, and race relations $9,900 to the Worcester Center for Crafts for an exhibit with enhanced programming that explores the cultural mosaic of the modern folk art of northeastern Brazil $2,812 to Worcester Interfaith for a public poetry reading and conversation with poet Naomi Shihab Nye on defining the place of immigrants in the American idea
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Inside the Clemente Course The Mass Humanities Clemente Course demonstrates the humanities’ capacity to change lives. Ideally, Clemente graduates participate in their communities with a newly-realized sense of their own potential, but the going is not always easy. What follows are profiles of 2017 Dorchester Clemente Course students, written by Academic Director Jack Cheng. “Clemente is about the humanities,” said Jack, “but also about building community. I tell the students that finishing the course is an individual achievement to be proud of, but getting through the year is always a team effort.” Euness began class somewhat tentatively. As the year progressed, she’s found her voice and is asking more questions and offering more opinions. On philosophy, describing an Aristotelian concept of moderation as virtue: “I feel like I’ve been a good person, but now I feel like I have a better idea about how to be a good person.” Lorene is an older woman who works at a local gym for women. Lorene is worried about her abilities and I’m nervous about losing her. Her classmate Barbara sees her at the gym and has been giving her encouragement. Marilyn began this class in 2013 but did not finish. She has been through hard times since, alluding to custody battles and lost periods of time. Things are much more stable now. She works at Daily Table (a low-cost grocer in the neighborhood) and occasionally brings extra food to class to give to other students. She helped Euness get a job at Daily Table. Edward is a smart, confident young man. He has a street name as a graffiti artist, and his own body is covered in tattoos. A photographer, he was an avid student in art history class. On the bus on the way to the MFA, Eddie showed me that he had changed the lock screen on his cell phone to a photo of one of Michelangelo’s unfinished slaves. Barbara moved back to Boston to take care of her ailing mother. She is smart but has trouble writing and doubts herself. As the months have gone by, Barbara has taken a motherly role to some of the other students, calling people when they haven’t shown up to class, and offering Mitchelle, who needed crutches, a ride to school. On Dorchester: “I wanted to get out, but now I’m back and I love it. You people [the Clemente program] are investing in Dorchester, in the people here.” 7
Cape & Islands
$1,618 to Aquinnah Cultural Center for a series of three discussions based on an exhibit of Wampanoag history
Piti Theatre Company put Mass Humanities funding to use to produce an original theatre production based on the story of Dexter Marsh, creator of the world’s first dinosaur museum in 1846
Mass Humanities 66 Bridge Street Northampton, MA 01060 tel (413) 584-8440 fax (413) 584-8454 masshumanities.org
Berkshire
$11,350 to the Berkshire Hills Regional School District for a series of programs designed to heighten awareness of racism and other injustices through lectures, film, and music $3,000 to Edith Wharton Restoration, Inc. in Lenox for a forum on the role of poetry during times of cultural and political crisis $9,845 to Flying Cloud Institute in Great Barrington for an educational program to accompany a re-mounting of WAM Theatre’s Emilie: The Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight
STAFF
David Tebaldi Executive Director
dtebaldi@masshumanities.org Tim Binkert
$1,750 to the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum in Adams for a five-part speaker series addressing the history of reform in the U.S. and its relevance today
Out of State
$4,750 to Fractured Atlas in New York for an original theatre production celebrating Greenfield’s 19th-century history
$10,000 to Kartemquin Educational Films in Chicago for pre-production of the one-hour documentary Loyalty By Another Name $15,000 to Teddy Bear Films in San Francisco for preproduction of a film on the pharmaceutical viability of psychedelic drugs and the historical and cultural contexts influencing how society regulates drugs
Communications Specialist
tbinkert@masshumanities.org Carolyn Cushing Associate Director of Development
ccushing@masshumanities.org Deepika Fernandes Fiscal Officer
dfernandes@masshumanities.org Abbye Meyer Director of Grants
ameyer@masshumanities.org Anne Rogers Director of Operations
arogers@masshumanities.org Rose Sackey-Milligan Senior Program Officer
rsackey-milligan@masshumanities.org John Sieracki Director of Development & Communications
True Stories: The 2017 Massachusetts Governor’s Awards in the Humanities On October 15, following the very successful forum at the Boston Public Library on fake news and the dangerous attempt to delegitimize mainstream media, Mass Humanities recognized three humanist leaders with the 2017 Massachusetts Governor’s Awards in the Humanities. The annual ceremony celebrates those whose public actions, grounded in an appreciation of the humanities, have enhanced civic life in the Commonwealth. The professional lives of each of the 2017 recipients has been dedicated to uncovering and explaining truth. The awardees included:
jsieracki@masshumanities.org Jeannemarie Tobin Administrative Assistant
jtobin@masshumanities.org Melissa Wheaton
HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., the internationally renowned Harvard University professor, author or co-author of twenty-one books, and creator of seventeen documentary films; SACHA PFEIFFER, a member of the Boston Globe Spotlight Team whose stories on the Catholic Church’s cover-up of clergy sex abuse won them the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service; DAVID STARR, the longtime publisher and then president of the Springfield Republican and the driving force in turning Springfield from a decaying downtown to a vibrant inner city in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Grants Officer
mwheaton@masshumanities.org Mass Humanities promotes the use of history, literature, philosophy, and the other humanities disciplines to deepen our understanding of the issues of the day, strengthen our sense of common purpose, and enrich individual and community life. We take the humanities out of the classroom and into the community. Mass Humanities, a private, nonprofit, educational organization, receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; and private sources.
2017 Contributors Contributors who gave in honor of recipients of the 2017 Governor’s Awards in the Humanities noted as follows: National Endowment for the Humanities: $908,425
DS – In honor of David Starr HLG – In honor of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Massachusetts Cultural Council: $526,533
2017 Board of Directors CHAIR
James Burke HINCKLEY, ALLEN & SNYDER LLP VICE CHAIR
Ellen Berkman HARVARD UNIVERSITY TREASURER
Ronald Hertel WELLS FARGO ADVISORS, LLC CLERK
Bianca Sigh Ward NYSTROM BECKMAN & PARIS, LLP
Mehmed Ali UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL
Glynda Benham STERLING
Lauren Cohen PURE COMMUNICATIONS
Elliot Bostwick Davis MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Alice DeLana CAMBRIDGE
Donna DePrisco DEPRISCO JEWELLERS
Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
William M. Fowler, Jr. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Alfred Griggs NORTHAMPTON
Andrew Helene RBS CITIZENS, N.A.
Frederick Hurst AN AFRICAN AMERICAN POINT OF VIEW
Michael Pappone GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
Marisa Parham AMHERST COLLEGE
Thomas Putnam NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
Hilda Ramirez WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY
Gail Reimer BROOKLINE
Ronald Slate POET AND LITERARY CRITIC
Kathleen Stone ATTORNEY AT LAW
Jill Sullivan SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
$25,000+ Anonymous Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation DS $10,000+ Anonymous The George I. Alden Trust Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Alfred and Sally Griggs Hertel & Konish Wealth Management Group Lowell Institute William and Lia Poorvu University of Massachusetts Amherst Vila B. Webber 1985 Charitable Trust Wells Fargo Foundation in cooperation with Wells Fargo Advisors $5,000+ Anonymous Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP Hutchins Family Foundation HLG McCarter & English LLP $2,500+ AbbVie Inc. Elizabeth and Edmund Bacon Big Y Foods DS Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts James Burke and Laura Sperber Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts DS John and Marie Dacey Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation Ronald and Colleen Hertel MIT Global Studies and Languages Michael Pappone and Diane Savitzky Jack and Joan Regan Seyfarth Shaw LLP William and Laura Shea Ron and Nancy Slate Staples Foundation for Learning Jill and Scott Sullivan David C. Weinstein Fund WGBH Educational Foundation HLG, DS $1,000+ Anonymous The Susan A. and Donald P. Babson Charitable Foundation Sylvia Bacon The Barrington Foundation, Inc. The Marshall and Deborah Berkman Family Charitable Trust Edmund Bertschinger, in honor of the Clemente Course John Burgess and Nancy Adams
Carroll Family Fund DePrisco Jewelers Michael and Suzanne Eizenberg Andrew Helene Polly and Charles Longsworth Mike and Judy Manzo Thomas and Michelle McCarthy Raymond James Gail Reimer Allen Rome, through the United Way of North Central MA, Inc. David Tebaldi Emma Teng Perry Wu and Grace Kao $250+ John Abromson Family Philanthropic Fund Brad and Jane Albert DS Mehmed Ali Altschuller Family Charitable Gift Fund Lawrence Ambs Anonymous Samuel Bacon Glynda Benham and Alan Karass Ellen Berkman and David Bryant Ben and Diane Birnbaum Linda Black Lawrence Bobo Anne and David Bromer, in honor of Jeffrey Musman Brown Rudnick LLP Ruth Butler Carhart Family Foundation, in honor of Lauren Cohen Ralph T. Cheng Family Fund Lauren and Ian Cohen Wendy and Richard Cohen, in honor of Lauren Cohen Andrew Cohn and Marcia Leavitt Javier Corrales Alice DeLana, in honor of David Tebaldi Dianne Fuller Doherty, in memory of Paul Spence Doherty Elizabeth and Chase Duclos-Orsello Ellen Dunlap and Frank Armstrong Tom and Louise Dunn Robert Feldstein Robert Forrant William Fowler, Jr. Sandy and Nancy Fraze DS Janee and Paul Friedmann DS Mary and Terry Fuller, in honor of Ronald Hertel Otis and Barbara Gates HLG Alice Goldsmith Fran Goodwin DS Ross Grant Bruce Grinnell Stacey Harvey Herring Charitable Trust, in honor of Jill Sullivan Dudley and Georgene Herschbach John Hill Hopkinton Historical Society
May and James Houghton, in honor of Alice DeLana Julian Houston, in memory of Edgar Bellefontaine Frederick and Marjorie Hurst DS Peggy Kemp Brendan Krebs, in honor of Ronald Hertel Raymond Kwasnick Lawrence History Center Susan and Drew Leff Crawford Lincoln DS Jean MacCormack Martha and Jeffrey McLaughlin Robert Meagher and Elizabeth Neave Medtronic Abbye Meyer Alejandra Miranda-Naon and Lee Oestreicher Dale and Robert Mnookin John and Kristin Montgomery, in honor of Ronald Hertel Eileen and Joe Mueller Jeffrey Musman and Lynne Spencer David and Kaye Nash Peter Nessen DS Nancy Netzer and Robert Silberman New England Museum Association Martin Newhouse and Nancy Scott Newhouse John Olver DS Parham Drabinski Giving Fund James Pease Piedmont Foundation, in honor of Ronald Hertel Russell and Jennifer Peotter Michael Potaski Tom Putnam and Phyllis Wentworth Gail Randall Erik Rosenthal DS Grannum and Kathleen Sant Joanne Sattley HLG Louise Sawyer John Sieracki Bianca Sigh Ward and John Ward Paul B. Slate 2001 Trust The Rochelle Slate 2001 Trust John Spooner DS John Stauffer and Deborah Cunningham Bruce and Terri Stevens Kathie Stevens Kathleen Stone and Andrew Grainger Cynthia Terwilliger Kenneth and Linda Vacovec Vacovec, Mayotte and Singer, LLP Frank and Judy Virnelli William Wallace Robert Walsh, in honor of Jeffrey Musman Peter Whalen and Janna Ugone Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP Roy Wilsker
Emma Teng MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
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$100+ Charles Alesi and Rita Kappers Alesi Virginia Alexander Paula Andrews and George Hinchey Anonymous (2) April Antonellis Andrew Ashforth Georgia and James Barnhill Barbara Beall Sharon Bernard Leonard and Jane Bernstein Lawrence Blum Elissa Boisvert Kristin Boudreau Jess Camhi Edward Carhart, in honor of Lauren Cohen Carl Carlsen Martha Chayet, in memory of Neil Chayet Adam Cohen Nancy Cook Nancy Coolidge David Cooper and Adelaide MacMurray-Cooper, in memory of their parents Paul F. & Denise E. Coughlan Charitable Gift Trust, a Donor Advised Fund of The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust Wendy Covell Elizabeth Coxe Carolyn Davies Rose Doherty Robert Donaldson and Judy Ober, in honor of Barbara Donaldson Dorchester Historical Society Susan and Westy Egmont The Fairbanks House Museum Roseann Fitzgerald Sheila Fitzpatrick Linda and Stephen Greyser Dustin Griffin, in honor of Bruce Grinnell Annie Harris David Harris and Janet Walton Robert Harrison and Marquis Jamison Bruce Herring, in honor of Jill Sullivan Peter Hoffman, in honor of Ronald Hertel The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association Susie Johnson, in honor of Edward Carhart Kristin Jonash Jennifer Kalms Linda and Bob Keefe Kerry/Weinman Family Charitable Trust Alexa and Ranch Kimball Fund
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Gail Leftwich Kitch Lexington Historical Society Ramsay and Joan Liem Lincoln Town Hall David Little Janice Litwin and Alan Wichlei Suzanne and Gregory Maas Amy Macdonald Jean Maguire Albert Malo Manchester Historical Museum Loring Mandel DS Susan Mareneck John Mayer Richard Meadow Ellen Messer Ronald Milauskas, in honor of Ronald Hertel Rebecca Morin Lisa and Merritt Mulman, in honor of Jill Sullivan Bill Nigreen/Kathleen McDermott Fund Lawrence O’Brien Kristin and Barry O’Connell, in honor of David Tebaldi Susan Porter Hilda Ramirez Kathleen Reilly Dolores Root Charitable Fund Gloria Rosal Steven Rothstein Neal Salisbury Dea Savitzky Ellen Smith Snoell Fund Elizabeth Spelman Scott and Jane Stearns DS Mary Steele Stephenson Family Fund Patricia Suhrcke Third Colony LLC Peter Torkildsen Margaret Traina The Trustees Alden and Virginia Vaughan Anne Warner Waters Farm Preservation, Inc. Faith White Jane Williams Window Woman of New England Margaret Wiseman Up to $99 Lucy Allen Lee Ann Amend Amesbury Carriage Museum Anonymous (2) Ellen Anstey Lori Austin Maud and Adrian Ayson Barbara Bacon, in honor of David Tebaldi Reginald Bacon Meghan Bailey
William Bailey Valerie A. Balint Hosea Baskin and Sarah Buttenwieser Lynne Bassett John Bell Thomas Bennett Rebecca Berkowitz Corinne Bermon Susan Bernardy Ellen Berry Janet Beyer Loretta Blake Pamela Bobay Pleun Bouricius Lucy R. Boyle Fund Virginia Breen Robert Briere Lora Brody Ryan Bruce Taylor Bye Jack Cadwell Claire Carlson Justyna Carlson Nicole Casper Eunice Charles Pauline Cheng Suzan Ciaramicoli Curtis Cleaves Elaine Clements Ann Clifford Bruce Cohen Dayl Cohen Marcia Cooper Pat Costello Susan Crimmins Carolyn Cushing John S. Dacey Bob Damon Karen Davis Ian Delahanty Charan Devereaux Jennifer DiPersio Elizabeth Hall Dubrulle Kate Edney June Edwards Wendy Englebardt Maribeth Eugene Angela Farias Judy Farrar Peter Feinman Ann Fields Katina Fontes Anne Forbes Joseph Ford, in honor of Jack Cheng Susan Forgit Pamela Fox Fruitlands Museums James Gardner, Jr. Judith Garner David Glassberg Penina and Myron Glazer Allison and Matthew Godoff, in honor of Lauren Cohen Ilene Goldberg Golden Ball Tavern Museum Kat Good-Schiff Jayne Gordon Karl Hakkarainen
Tona Hangen Anne Harrison, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services of Springfield Rita Hashem Laura Haston Adi Heller Karen Herbaugh Guy Hermann Jennifer Hickinbotham, in honor of Lauren Cohen Sally Hild Curdina Hill Ann Himmelberger William Hosley Richard Howe James Igoe Rebecca Ikehara Asher Jackson Juliet Jacobson Mary Ann Johnson Carolyn Keating Traci Kim Sheila Kirschbaum Laura Kitchings Lauren Kosky-Stamm Sophie Krop Kristin Lacroix Lori Lang Wendy Lement Kenneth Marc Liss Lois Lovins, in honor of Ronald Hertel Edward Lund Kaethe Maguire Cynthia Malm Meredith Marcinkewicz Martha Matlaw Margaret Mayhew Daniel McCormack Kara McCormack Ruth M. McCormick Roger and Carol McNeill Giordana Mecagni Kate Melchior Teri Melo, in memory of Sue Ann Vancho Gary S. Messinger Marla Miller Jonathan Mirin Denise Moehring Anna Moir Jeffrey Monseau James Moran Ann Morgan Marnie Shure and Kevin Morris Linda Morse Eva Moseley Carolyn Mueller Kathleen Mulvaney Stephen and Linda Nathanson Samantha Nelson Robert Nesson North Adams Historical Society, Inc. North Andover Historical Society North Brookfield Historical Society
James O’Hare Old North Church & Historic Site Rachel Onuf Nancy Orlando David Ostrander Otis Hill Farm Sonia Pacheco Shuangming Pang Marie Panik Ellen and Stephen Parker, in memory of Charlotte Paley Monica Pelayo Meghan Petersen Elizabeth Poland Nicholas Pollard Stan Prager Princeton Historical Society Christine Proffitt Jennifer Pustz John Putnam Michael Quinlin Ashlynn Rickord Joanne Riley Rochester Historical Commission Anne Rogers Diane Rogers Wendyl Ross Steven and Leslie Rotman David Ruggles Center Donna Russo James Rutenbeck G A. Ryan Robert Salerno Louise Sandberg Barbara Search Michele Sedor Senior Family Fund Sarah Shoemaker Catherine Shortliffe Candelaria SIlva-Collins Lynn Smith Lori Soloway Deborah Sparrow Wen Stephenson Matthew Stowell Andrea Taupier Bruce A. Taylor Earl Taylor Emily Thomas Debra Thomas-Britt Will Twombly Uxbridge Free Public Library Anne Valk Anthony Vaver Donna Vinson John Warner Melissa Wheaton John Whiting William Wilson Elizabeth Wollman Samantha Wood Ellen Zellner Brita Zitin and Carolyn Gibney
2017 Financials MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES, INC. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION OCTOBER 31, 2017 ASSETS
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Current Assets
Current Liabilities
Cash 827,705 Certificates of deposit 507,024 Grants receivable 266,125 Other accounts receivable Prepaid expenses 20,332 Pledges receivable - within one year 150,150
Regrants payable Accounts payable and accrued expenses Deferred revenue
Total Current Assets
$1,771,336
Capital Assets–At Cost
Leasehold improvements 32,032 Equipment 11,430 Computer software 7,910 Vehicle 12,498 63,870 Less – accumulated depreciation (62,857) Total Capital Assets
Total Current Liabilities and Total Liabilities
192,851 92,263 2,280 $287,394
Net Assets
Unrestricted Unrestricted–board designated Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted
871,930 117,754 859,558 1,769,303
Total Net Assets
$3,618,545
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$3,905,939
$1,013
Other Assets
Investments Cash – donor designated Cash – board designated
2,028,058 101,311 4,221
Total Other Assets
$2,133,590
TOTAL ASSETS
$3,905,939
2017 Grant DISTRIBUTION 73 grants totaling $418,618 in 36 MA towns and cities
Changes in Unrestricted Net Assets (including net assets released from restrictions)
Foundations 6%
Federal 45% State 26%
Individuals 14%
Corporations 3%
Revenue: $2,019,455
Other organizations 4%
Fundraising 18%
Other 2%
Grants and Programs 72%
Expenses: $1,887,032
Administration 10%
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The David Tebaldi Fund To support public humanities programming that encourages inclusion In recent years the need for greater social inclusion has come to the fore nationally: improving the ability and opportunity of those disadvantaged based on their identity. Under David’s leadership, Mass Humanities programming has focused on inclusion, with the Clemente Course (college-accredited, tuition-free introduction to the humanities); Open & Honest community discussions of contemporary issues of race and justice; public readings of Frederick Douglass’s speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” in towns and cities across the Commonwealth, and much more. David was central to these successes, but after 33 years of dedicated service, he will retire in October. To ensure the continuation of a programming emphasis on inclusion, the Mass Humanities Board of Directors has established The David Tebaldi Fund and seeks unrestricted contributions to it. The deadline for pledges is September 30, 2018. To donate, please visit masshumanities.org.
Show your support for David and the spirit of inclusion by making a donation to The David Tebaldi Fund today!