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From the author of Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, Einstein and more, Walter Isaacson returns to Chicago Humanities with the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence—and took over […]
Join us for a reading and celebration of the diverse voices, rich experiences, and powerful words of poets from around the US and the world. Poets working in the online poetry workshop and discussion, Forms & Features, will share work that they created in this creative community. Poetry Foundation’s events are completely free of charge […]
After a summer hiatus, Family Days are back! Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Day is a monthly program that allows families and youth to connect and engage with contemporary art through activities and performances for all-ages. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, performances, and more. ASL […]
Oliver Jeffers is an acclaimed storyteller and visual artist. His latest picture book, How We Got Here and Where We Might Go - Our Human Story. So Far., is written for adults and is an artistic exploration of humankind’s impact on itself and our planet. The renowned artist and writer takes Chicago Humanities audiences of […]
In her long career in literature and teaching, Sandra Cisneros has shared her passion for creative writing and expressing her experience as a Mexican woman. After a 28 year break from poetry, she returns to her roots with her most recent collection of songs, elegies, and declarations that chronicle her pilgrimage toward rebirth and the […]
How can art engage people on climate change and environmental issues that are impacting our city and neighborhoods? Join Uzma Noormohamed, Program Director of the Illinois Science & Energy Innovation Foundation, Mike Dimitroff, Manager of Art initiatives at the Chicago Park District, and Cynthia Weiss, Delilah Salgado, and Citlalli Trujillo of the artist collective Rio […]
As one of the most historical buildings in Chicago, the Governor’s Mansion has hosted many legendary people, including Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and the current First Family. First Lady MK Pritzker and former interior designer for the Obama White House, Michael Smith, have teamed up to restore this iconic building and bring Chicago history to life, […]
During our era of COVID, many of us felt as if we were living through “unprecedented times,” but was our experience really that unique? Pandemics have been around as long as people. Join esteemed historian and bestselling author Simon Schama with author and Richard W. Leopold Professor of History Deborah Cohen for a conversation exploring […]
How does cancel culture impact our social, cultural, and political lives? With The Atlantic’s Caitlin Flanagan leading the discussion, join Johns Hopkins’ Yascha Mounk, out with his latest book The Identity Trap; and FIRE President Greg Lukianoff and journalist Rikki Schlott, co-authors of The Canceling of the American Mind, for a captivating conversation about the complexities of our […]
Comedian Sarah Cooper rocketed to fame during the pandemic with her lip-synched videos of Donald Trump’s speeches. Her face, his voice–it was social media magic. In her hilarious and honest debut memoir, Foolish: Tales of Assimilation, Determination, and Humiliation, Cooper tells witty and heartfelt tales of growing up as the youngest in a Jamaican family, […]
Since the NFT (Non-fungible tokens) exploded into the art world a few years ago, artists, collectors, arts professionals, art lovers, and museumgoers are still trying to understand what NFTs are and what they mean for the future. Author, Amy Whitaker, takes readers through the origins of NFTs, the connection to the history of artmaking and […]
Why does the United States, one of the richest countries on earth, allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit citizens to live and die on the streets, and continue to pay poverty wages? Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond uses vivid storytelling and rigorous research to delve into the […]
Naperville native and award-winning actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk has teamed up with his talented daughter, illustrator Erin Odenkirk, as they share original poems Bob wrote with his children when they were young, as well as dozens of new ones–beautifully brought to life by Erin’s whimsical drawings. Join Chicago Humanities for a hilarious and heartwarming […]
Fox News Channel’s Chief Political Correspondent and New York Times bestselling author, Bret Baier comes to Chicago Humanities to talk about his groundbreaking new biography of America’s first president. In To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment, Baier explores Washington’s remarkable decision to come out of retirement to preside over the […]
It’s 1964 Montgomery, Alabama, and the Nacirema Society prepares for its annual introduction of six elegant African-American debutantes to a world of prosperity, privilege and social responsibility. This centennial year, the Society’s grande dame, Grace Dunbar, will have nothing less than perfection for her granddaughter Gracie’s debut. And with young love brewing, old family skeletons […]