Virgin Islands
Humanities Council
"We the People" Project
2008
The National Endowment of the Humanities [NEH] supports a national initiative called We The People. Its goal is to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture through the support of projects that explore significant events and themes and advance knowledge of the principles that define America
In September 2007, NEH awarded the Virgin Islands Humanities Council a grant of $51,280.00 to support a state project entitled, “Virgin Islands Voices: A Spoken Word Celebration.” United Stated Virgin Islanders have always had a commanding spoken word tradition. These texts are found in poems, cariso, quelbe, and calypso songs. These genres were not just forms of human expression, they also serve as social commentary and a means of controlling conflict. This year, the VIHC proposes two events (a book festival and a lecture series) to celebrate the diversity of Virgin Islands voices, to provoke critical thought, and to affirm our collective humanity.
This Virgin Islands Voices celebration will be expressed in both the oral and
written traditions. Both traditions will be showcased on September 19 &
20, 2008. The 'spoken word' refers to artistic performances as recited by a
speaker and oftentimes accompanied by music. The two-day event will
include
interactive workshops and educational displays, as well as a lecture series
event to recognize prolific Virgin Islands writers abroad, who retained Virgin
Islands' memory through their oral and written works.
For more information, please call the Virgin Islands Humanities Council at 776-4044. The
The Virgin Islands Humanities Council is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization. Its mission is to provide opportunities for the diverse population of the Virgin Islands to participate humanities programs, which promote a love of learning, encourage dialogue, enhance understanding and broaden people's judgment.
Funded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities (NEH), any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed
in this initiative do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
