The preeminent African American pop artist of his generation, Chicago-born Hebru Brantley straddles the worlds of fine art, street art, and hip-hop, while he’s name-dropped in rap songs and collected by the likes of Jay-Z and LeBron James. Join Chicago Humanities for an upbeat, life-affirming chat about the work of this painter, sculptor, and designer […]

Tony Award-winning playwright of the theatrical phenomenon The Vagina Monologues, V (formerly Eve Ensler) sits down for an unflinching conversation about her newest, deeply personal work, Reckoning. On her travels from Berlin to Oklahoma to the Congo, V has spent her life spearheading global movements to end homelessness, the climate disaster, and especially violence against […]

In the second half of the 20th century, Chicago has grown into a Latino metropolis, boasting flourishing neighborhoods such as Pilsen and Little Village. Despite Mexican Chicagoans facing intersecting forces of wealth-driven gentrification and anti-immigrant policies, Chicago has become a city of refuge, mutual aid, and economic power. Join Professor of History at Georgetown University […]

As the former Cook County public defender, Allen Goodman has dedicated his life to defending his clients against routine police abuse, prosecutorial misconduct, and unjust sentencing. We are excited to welcome him to the Chicago Humanities stage for a conversation with Rudi Batzell, assistant professor of history at Lake Forest College, on Goodman’s memoir Everyone […]

When most people think of the history of modern conservatism, they think of Ronald Reagan. This leaves out the current ideals of conservatism, the recent presidency of Donald Trump, and the ambiguous future of the Republican party. Co-founder of The Washington Free Beacon, Matthew Continetti (The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism), American Journalist […]

Writer and comedian Scott Aukerman’s weekly podcast, Comedy Bang! Bang!, is filled with zany characters, celebrity interviews, and chaotic improv. It's now available as a book, Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast: The Book, and features brand-new anecdotes and opinions from characters of the iconic show. Join Aukerman and Mark Bazer, host of The Interview Show, […]

Jane Austen is famously a writer of comedy, but many readers turn to her work in times of difficulty and sorrow, not merely to escape, but because Austen, with her wonderful capacity for surprise, seems to make room for these darker times. So author Rachel Cohen found during the period of ordinary joys and sorrows […]

One of the greatest tensions in American society exists between preserving freedom of speech and respecting the sensitivities of marginalized communities, and it has been manifesting increasingly in academics, business, and the arts. Ayad Akhtar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, novelist, and President of PEN America, joins Interfaith America Founder and President Eboo Patel in conversation […]