What is the Culture Series?
Join expert guest curators from every corner of the city as they create one-of-a-kind events exploring DC stories, traditions and cultures with the goal of sparking conversations. The Culture Series is a free roaming monthly gathering that takes place at social hubs around the city and investigates topics like little-known bicycle racing in alleyways, LGBTQIA+ oral histories, and the tales of the African American Washingtonians who helped build the Smithsonian’s more remarkable exhibits. Come experience the public humanities in person as we delve into our city’s past, question our present and imagine the future.
Upcoming 2025 CULTURE SERIES LINEUP
April – The War on drugs in DC
Join HumanitiesDC and guest curator Caroline Phillips (National Cannabis Festival) for a thought-provoking discussion on the war on drugs. In 1989, Washington, DC, was an epicenter for the crack epidemic. Elected officials, including then-President George H.W. Bush, politicized the city’s struggles to further misguided and punitive policies that were implemented by Nixon’s “war on drugs.” For decades, these policies unjustly targeted Black and brown Americans, and DC was no exception. In 2024, we see a new era of progressive drug policies and restorative justice that includes cannabis legalization. From ending incarceration and creating paths for re-entry to opportunities in new industries and the chance to build wealth, what will it mean for DC residents to say “the drug war is over?”
May – Sex Work in Civil War Washington and Beyond
Washington, DC saw an unprecedented rise in sex work during the Civil War due to the thousands of Union soldiers who flooded into the city for training. Brothels provided income, shelter, and independence for women who, in some cases, had few other places to turn. They built businesses and turned access to politicians into influence. Join HumanitiesDC and guest curator Katie Kirkpatrick in this Culture Series, which will explore historical brothel sites during and after the Civil War. The event will bring together visual representations, experts on Civil War Washington, sex-work historians, and members of today’s sex-work community to discuss how the oldest profession was practiced when it was legal, compared to today’s ongoing struggle to recognize sex work as real work.
To learn more and register for these events visit our Events Calendar.
BECOME A GUEST CURATOR
Do you have an idea of how to bring untold DC stories to life? Have you conducted research on a humanities topic or been working on a project that you would love the opportunity to present to the public? The Culture Series is looking for guest curators to help us co-create our next gatherings. We are looking for topics with strong connections to a humanities discipline, that are thoughtful, engaging and incorporate unique forms of presentation. Chosen curators receive compensation for their participation. For more information, reach out to our Public Programs team at programs@humanitiesdc.org or complete the submission form below.
Proposal Submission Form:
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