Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences to convene in St. Louis Sept. 7

American Academy of Arts and Sciences exploring the state of humanities education nationally

WHO: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences

WHAT: Third regional forum: “The Importance of the Humanities and Social Sciences for Public Life”

WHERE: Missouri History Museum, Forest Park

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Friday, Sept. 7, 2012

Gerald Early

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Gerald Early, a commission member and director of the Center for the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis; and Leslie Berlowitz, president, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

ABOUT THE COMMISSION:

Answering a bipartisan call from U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Mark Warner (D-Vir.), and Reps. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and David Price (D-N.C.), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has created a blue-ribbon Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences.

The commission’s goal is to claim space in the national dialogue for the humanities and the social sciences and to recommend specific steps that government, schools and universities, cultural institutions, businesses and philanthropies can take to support and strengthen these areas of knowledge.

The St. Louis forum — the third in a series of regional meetings at which commission members will receive testimony — will focus on the importance of the humanities and social sciences to public life and lifelong learning. The meeting will include representatives from State Humanities Councils, historical societies, universities, libraries and other cultural institutions from across Missouri.

Delivering testimony will be:

Lesley Barker, director, Bolduc House Museum, St. Genevieve, Mo.

Priscilla Block, executive director, St. Louis Art Works

Gene Dobbs Bradford, executive director, Jazz St. Louis

Anna Crosslin, executive director, International Institute, St. Louis

Geoff Giglierano, executive director, Missouri Humanities Council

Jessica Hentoff, artistic/executive director, Circus Harmony/Circus Day Foundation, St. Louis

Crosby Kemper III, executive director, Kansas City Public Library

Marilu Knode, director, Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis

Waller McGuire, executive director, St. Louis Public Library

Boo McLoughlin, executive director, Craft Alliance, St. Louis

Carol North, artistic director, Metro Theater Company, St. Louis

Timothy O’Leary, general director, Opera Theater of Saint Louis

Aldemaro Romero, dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

Diane Touliatos, director, The Center for the Humanities, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Chief Glenna Wallace, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma

David Carl Wilson, dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Webster University, St. Louis

To arrange an interview or attend the event, contact Liam Otten at (314) 935-8494, (314) 324-2076 (cell) or liam_otten@wustl.edu.