HumanitiesDC

Immigration Film Festival: Local DMV Stories
2025-09-19 18:00 - 22:00 (America/Halifax) | The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd NW 2nd Floor, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
Connect with your DMV community at this special screening taking place at The Festival Center in Adams Morgan. Enjoy delicious, locally-made Ghanaian, Mexican, and Iraqi Kurdish food (included with ticket), get a henna design from local artist, Amad Mahbub, and connect with organizations working right now in DC to support, protect, and champion our migrant communities. We’ll be screening three short films showcasing immigrants in the DMV and hear from all three filmmakers after the screening. Don’t miss out on this incredible community event!
Registration link

Immigration Film Festival
2025-09-25 18:00 - 2025-09-28 21:00 | Regal Gallery Place, 701 7th St NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
The Immigration Film Fest is hosted by KAMA DC, a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to providing a platform for immigrants and refugees in the DMV to share their skills and stories. Now in the festival’s 12th year, we are bringing you a hybrid film festival with virtual screenings for 32 films via Eventive, four in-person screenings in Washington, DC from September 25-28, and a special community screening and gathering on September 19. Help us celebrate and honor the stories on immigrants and refugees at this critical moment in history, when our immigrant communities are facing a perilous and divisive political and legal environment. We hope to see you at the festival!
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Culture Series: 9-Man
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
To what extent did 9-man volleyball help Chinese immigrants preserve their culture?
HumanitiesDC & Ted Gong Present Culture Series: 9-Man, a conversation with key members of the Chinese American community reflecting on the street sport that continues to unite generations. For more than 90 years, 9-man volleyball has drawn teams from Chinatowns across the United States. In fact, the game is so popular that the last time a rotating competition took place in Washington, DC, it closed Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the FBI Building.
As immigrant identities continue to face challenges, understanding the impact of 9-man volleyball allows for a broader discussion on the importance of cultural spaces. Historical research has led to ongoing conversations about cultural preservation and identity within the Chinese American community, ensuring 9-man remains a thriving sport today.
Join us for a panel discussion exploring how the game’s strict rules, emphasis on community, and longstanding traditions have contributed to cultural preservation across generations. Together, we’ll revisit the rich history of 9-man volleyball in DC and highlight the resilience of Chinese American communities in maintaining their heritage despite adversity.
Registration Event Link

Fusion Festival 2025
2025-09-27 09:00 - 18:30 | Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Marion Barry Ave SE, Washington, DC, MD, 20020, United States
Anacostia Arts Center will host the second annual Fusion Festival 2025, powered by WACIF and sponsored by EventsDC, on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Anacostia Arts Center in Washington, D.C. The festival, with the timely theme ?Transformation,? returns to Southeast DC with a full day of immersive experiences at the intersection of innovation, culture, and transformation, featuring curated panels, wellness activations, hands-on workshops, and dynamic networking spaces. Learn more about Fusion Festival to see what?s ahead. What to Expect: Entry to all panels, workshops, and sessions; breakfast, lunch, and happy hour; networking and opportunities to practice wellness!
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Together We Stand: A Day of Palestinian Art & Culture
2025-09-27 11:00 - 17:00 | The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd NW 2nd Floor, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
A vibrant marketplace of vendors offering Palestinian crafts, literature, and food, Dabke workshops, and performances. An introductory class and circle where you?ll learn the art of tatreez. Poetry readings Featured film screenings (stay tuned for the lineup). A central highlight of the two-day event is the GoFundMe Gallery, filled with artwork from Palestinian artists in Gaza. Visitors can bid on pieces, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the artists, strengthening our solidarity by supporting our people directly through art.
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District Hunt
2025-10-04 10:30 - 2025-10-05 16:00 | 1742 Church St NW, 1742 Church St. NW, Washington, DC, 20036
Welcome to the 7th Annual District Hunt – this year’s puzzle adventure for you, your family, your friends, and your co-workers! Each year, the game is designed around a different theme built into the physical and cultural landscape of Washington DC. In 2025, the focus is on Information. This year’s story is Burying the Lede. Every 25 years, eight symbolic objects are chosen to define the culture of Washington, DC. Reports about this ritual also suspect a connected treasure, which has been quietly protected for centuries by a trusted network of individuals. But in 2025, something?s changed. With misinformation on the rise, the protectors are wary of whom to trust and have called for help. Teams are invited to demonstrate whether they are worthy of preserving history.
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Home Rule Music Festival
2025-10-04 13:00 - 21:00 | Alethia Tanner Park, 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
The Home Rule Music Festival returns for its fall edition on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at Alethia Tanner Park. This free, family-friendly festival celebrates Washington, D.C.?s rich music and cultural legacy with a full day of live performances, vendors, and community connections. The lineup features Joantz Workshop, Brandon Woody, Junkyard Band, Bongo District, Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band, and a youth band showcase. Attendees can explore food, art, vinyl, and small business vendors while enjoying go-go, jazz, hip-hop, Latin, and African sounds. Join us for an unforgettable celebration of D.C.’s music, culture, and community pride.
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Humanities Under the Stars - Community Celebration & Fundraiser
2025-10-07 18:00 - 20:30 | Private: 1921 Biergarten at the Heurich House, 1307 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20036
Join us for an unforgettable evening under the stars to celebrate DC’s powerful stories and vibrant communities!
Our first community fundraiser, Humanities Under the Stars, is an outdoor celebration in the Castle Garden at Heurich House Museum. Surrounded by community, culture, and conversations, we will honor the stories and people who shape our city while raising critical funds to keep our programs accessible and impactful.
Enjoy drinks, light bites, and a chance to win goodies from local businesses through our community raffle. Most importantly, expect great conversations with fellow supporters who believe in the power of the humanities.
Purchase Tickets
Discounted early bird tickets are available through September 9th (or while supplies last).
Let’s come together to celebrate the stories that connect us and ensure a thriving future for public humanities in DC. We can’t wait to see you under the stars!
For reasonable accommodation requests regarding access and inclusion, including ASL interpretation, please contact info@humanitiesdc.org no later than five business days before the start of this event.

2025 Julian Clement Chase Prizes Award Ceremony
2025-10-16 16:00 - 18:30 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
The George Washington University Writing Program, in collaboration with the Creative Writing program and the Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, is proud to award three annual undergraduate Julian Clement Chase Prizes: one for Research Writing on the District of Columbia, one for Creative Writing in Washington, and one for Community Impact in the District of Columbia. The prizes recognize and honor–appetite, boldness, the building of community, and the striving toward humane excellence in undergraduate work engaged with D.C.
Registered Link

CJM After Sunset: Late to the Party Oktoberfest
2025-10-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Continue Oktoberfest celebrations at the Museum after hours. Hear stories about the first German Jews to arrive in Washington, DC with curator spotlight talks, sip on German beers, decorate your own beer stein, compete in trivia, and dance along to klezmer faves! Plus, a cash bar and snacks for purchase. Ticket includes admission to all exhibitions. Must be 21 or older to attend and present a valid ID at the door.

Registration link

Culture Series: Snap City - The Art of Roller Skating
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
What makes the DC-Maryland variation of Style roller skating deserving of official folk-art recognition?
HumanitiesDC & Tasha Klusmann Present Culture Series: Snap City – The Art of Roller Skating. Join us for an unforgettable evening as native Washingtonian and roller skate historian Tasha Klusmann takes us inside the world of Style roller skating. Style skating is a cultural tradition with roots dating back to the 1960s. Klusmann presents her case for Style being recognized as an official folk art.
Her groundbreaking research traces the history of the DC-Maryland variation of Style from its beginnings to today’s new generation of skaters referred to as “Snappers.” Be among the first to see short takes of exclusive footage from Our Family Skate Association’s National African American Roller Skating Archive documentary, Snap City (currently in post-production), followed by a Q&A.
Snap City highlights how the community works to bridge the gap between seasoned skaters and “Snappers” to preserve the area’s unique variation of Style roller skating for future generations.
Don’t miss your chance to grab a selfie with the largest artifact submitted to the National African American Roller Skating Archive. Can you guess what it is?
Registration Event Link

Deaf Way Film Festival
2025-10-16 19:00 - 2025-10-19 16:00 | Gallaudet University, Eistad Auditorium, 800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
Gallaudet University proudly presents the Deaf Way Film Festival, a four-day celebration spotlighting the creativity, power, and stories of deaf* filmmakers and professionals in the film industry. October 16th-19th, 2025 Mark your calendars for film screenings, engaging panels, art exhibitions, and networking events that center Deaf stories. The festival will be open to the public, including those who do not know about deaf culture or use American Sign Language. *The deaf community is defined as Deaf, Deaf Blind, Deaf Disabled, and hard of hearing.
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Striving to Belong: LGBTQ+ Jews in Orthodox Communities
2025-10-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
This roundtable discussion examines shifts in the Orthodox community towards greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ Jews. Panelists include Peninah Gershman and Rabbi Hyim Shafner, more panelists coming soon. Moderated by Miryam Kabakov.

Registration link

How We Be Free: A Virtual Kickback
2025-10-25 12:00 - 13:00 | DC
How We Be Free is a Black Fugitive Study Kit that honors the legacy of freedom-seeking ancestors–those who built networks of solidarity, practiced mutual aid, fought for abolition and reparations, and established self-sustaining Black communities. Their visionary blueprints for liberation continue to inspire today’s Black organizers, activists, and cultural workers who carry that legacy forward. The kit includes a deck of playing cards, dice, and an informational booklet with historical context, quotes, and reflective prompts. It is designed to support personal reflection, collective study, ancestral reverence, creative expression, cultural organizing, and more.
Register for the Virtual Kickback to learn more and experience the How We Be Free Study Kit in shared community!
Register here.

Cello Concert with John Kaboff
2025-10-26 13:00 - 13:30 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Concert Cellist John Kaboff will perform works by LGBTQ+ composer, Benjamin Britten, and Jewish composer, Ernst Bloch. Kaboff will discuss how both composers were inspired by the solo cello music of Johann Sebastian Bach and how these cello suites combine complex melody, rhythmical pulse, chord progressions by creating new and innovative rhythmical patterns and harmonic structure that extended the techniques of composers from prior centuries.
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Voices Series: Multigenerational Stories of Coming Out
2025-10-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
In conjunction with our special exhibition, LGBTJews in the Federal City, hear from members of the LGBTQ+ Jewish Washington community as they reflect on their personal experiences with coming out. With Dana Beyer, Councilmember Evan Glass, and Danielle Pasekoff. Includes access to LGBTJews in the Federal City. Come early to see the exhibit!
Registration link

Stories in Motion at Mt. Pleasant Library
2025-10-29 12:30 - 16:00 | Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St NW, Washington, DC, 20010
The DC Oral History Collaborative will be at popping up at the Mt. Pleasant Library to help library goers learn about oral history and record informal interviews with their friends and family! The oral history booth will feature recording equipment, comfortable conversation space, and guides to help interviewers get started. Interviewers and interviewees will be able to take home their recordings on a flash drive and will learn options for archiving their interviews or conducting longer-form oral histories. There will be no obligation to submit the interviews to any institutional repository, and the booth will center the impact of interviewing and being interviewed.
No RSVP required. We will be tabling at the library all day.

If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!
The DC Oral History Collaborative is a partnership program of HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Library.

DC Zinefest 2025
2025-11-01 11:00 - 16:00 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC, 20001
DC Zinfest is Saturday, November 1st from 11am–4pm at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown DC.
DC Zinefest is an annual, one-day independent event designed to provide a space for zine-makers, self-published artists, and writers to share their work with each other and the Washington, D.C., community. This year, we’ll have 80+ tablers exhibiting their work and interactive workshops throughout the day.
This year, we’re excited to support the workshop, Building Community with Zines in DC with Ipsy Bipsy Studio.
11:30-1:00 at MLK Library, 4th Floor, Room 401-G
During this workshop, Ipsy Bipsy Studio will dive into zine history and its role in underground movements and community building in DC. Participants will then make their own zines inspired by examples through the ages! You’ll also get to hear about exciting funding opportunities and arts and humanities programming from Humanities DC.

What is Oral History and Why is it Important?
2025-11-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
This introductory workshop will help participants define oral history in relationship to the history of the practice and other forms of interviewing and storytelling. Participants will learn what motivates oral historians to do their work and what might motivate them to initiate projects of their own. Participants will also learn how to discover archival oral history interviews and begin to understand what makes a good interview. Finally, participants will think about how to turn their topical interests into guiding research questions.
Registration Link
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About the Workshop Series
The DC Oral History Collaborative Workshop Series is a set of training sessions aimed at, over time, providing participants with an in-depth understanding of oral history principles and practices. The series consists of several core workshops that provide participants with a more detailed exploration of some of the key topics and themes of the DC Oral History Collaborative 101+ Workshop.
Other core workshops in the series include: Recording Oral History, Planning Oral History Projects, Oral History Interviewing, and Archiving and Presenting Oral History.
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The DC Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) documents, preserves, and celebrates the lived experiences of all Washington, DC residents and communities through oral history. The Collaborative accomplishes this by providing training, mentorship, resources, programs, and funding to current and aspiring oral historians. The Collaborative is a partnership of HumanitiesDC and the DC Public Library

A Bookish Night at the Museum
2025-11-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Have you ever wanted to spend a cozy fall evening reading in a museum? Grab your book and join fellow bibliophiles for a relaxing and enlightening evening of reading and discovery. Explore our exhibitions, find a quiet nook to read, hear from book lovers (including our staff) about what they?re currently reading, and participate in a book swap.
Registration link

DC[FRAMEWORKS]
2025-11-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Eaton Cinema, 1201 K Street NW, Washington, DC, 20005, United States
We’re delighted to invite you to the fall DC[FRAMEWORKS] Works-in-Progress Screening, a community event celebrating documentary storytelling in progress.
DC[FRAMEWORKS] offers directors and producers at all experience levels a rare opportunity to receive thoughtful feedback on their works-in-progress—whether feature-length or short. The screening is followed by a moderated conversation, giving filmmakers the chance to gather insights from an engaged audience, subject-matter experts, and fellow DC-based filmmakers.
If you’d like your film to be considered for the program, please submit your work-in-progress to DC[FRAMEWORKS] via FilmFreeway or send an email to info@dcdoxfest.com.
Registration Event Link

Hip Hop History Month - Mosaic Theater's Young John Lewis Reflection Series
2025-11-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Busboys and Poets Anacostia, 2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC, 20020, United States
November 7, 2025 | Ward 8 | Busboys and Poets Anacostia
Mosaic partners with Busboys and Poets Anacostia for a night uplifting local spoken word and hip hop artists and highlighting Young John Lewis? hip-hop roots.

The Light Looks Like Me Book Event
2025-11-10 19:00 - 20:00 | People’s Book, 7014 Westmoreland Ave Suite A, Takoma Park, MD, 20912, United States
Join Shout Mouse Press youth authors plus guest author Ebony LaDelle to discuss The Light Looks Like Me.

Culture Series: Documenting Culture - How to Be a Humanist
2025-11-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 401c, Conference Center, 901 G Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
What does it take to become a humanist, and what is lost if we fail to preserve DC’s stories?
HumanitiesDC Presents Culture Series: Documenting Culture – How to Be a Humanist, a thoughtful conversation featuring three public historians exploring what it means to be a humanist in the nation’s capital. Featuring Paul Grant, Creative Director of the East of the River documentary series; Shae Corey, host of the Holy Local podcast; and Kristy L., DJ, cultural organizer and creator of the zine Cultural Waves, this event takes you behind the scenes of their creative journeys.
D.C. explores the lives of individuals who bring human stories to the humanities. Our guest speakers will share when and how they embraced the humanities, what that work looks like in practice, and what it means to document, celebrate, and amplify DC stories and culture. From podcasting to documentaries to DJing, each speaker offers a unique perspective, inviting audiences to consider the bold question: What does it mean to be a humanist, and what is lost if we fail to preserve DC’s stories?
Whether you’re a creator, a history enthusiast, or a curious mind, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
Registration Event Link

Yes, Chef: Stories About Food & Family Drama
2025-11-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Penn Social, 801 E Street Northwest, Washington, DC, 20004
Food brings people together but not always how you’d expect. Behind every favorite dish, there’s tension, tradition, chaos, or comfort. Sometimes all of it at once. This show is about what happens when meals go sideways, recipes carry history, and family shows up with opinions. Come for real stories about how food stirs things up, holds us together, or turns dinner into something way bigger than what’s on the plate.
Register here.

DC Oral History Collaborative Community Meetup
2025-11-17 18:00 - 19:30 | DC History Center, 801 K St NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Calling all local oral historians: HumanitiesDC and the DC History Center are offering their next oral history meetup in Washington, DC! Join us at the DC History Center on Monday, November 17 at 6 pm to be in community with other oral historians. During the meetup we’ll share ideas, talk through challenges and obstacles, and celebrate successes. You do not have to be a practicing oral historian to participate but come prepared to learn from others and to share your own thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.
Registration Event Link

Reach's 2025 Book Launch Party!
2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00 | True Reformer Building, 1200 U St. NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
This annual celebration of the new Teen Publishing Project (TPP) books published by Reach tutors (in Wards 4-8) will be held at the True Reformer Building. The festivities will take place from 6-8pm, featuring hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, and an opportunity to connect with Reach tutors and the Reach community. In 2025, the tutors explored themes of mental health and financial literacy in their works. Join the Reach community as we recognize their accomplishments!

LINK TO REGISTRATION: https://givebutter.com/BookLaunch2025

An Evening with Pati Jinich and Anna Spiegel
2025-11-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States
Join us for an advance screening of the closing episode of Season 14 of Pati’s Mexican Table, Pati Jinich’s long running part travelogue-part cooking PBS series. We will view the episode For Love and Family, in advance of the episode’s official public release on November 21. Following the screening, Jinich will be in conversation with Axios’s Anna Spiegel to discuss the episode, and amongst other things, her Mexican Jewish Roots and the history of the Mexican Jewish Community. Followed by Q&A with the audience.
Register here.

The Power of Knowing: John Lewis, Poetry & Hip-Hop - Mosaic Theater's Young John Lewis Reflection Series
2025-12-01 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | DC
Ongoing | Wards 5, 7 and 8 | Capitol View Neighborhood Library, Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library and Woodridge Neighborhood Library
The Power of Knowing is an interactive workshop that brings together the legacy of civil rights leader John Lewis and the expressive energy of hip-hop and spoken word. Led by poet, spoken-word artist, and hip-hop educational leader Tony Keith Jr. in partnership with DC Public Library.
LINK TO EVENT WEBSITE: https://mosaictheater.org/young-john-lewis

Talk of the Hill with Bill Press Featuring Journalists Peter Baker and Susan Glasser
2025-12-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Hill Center DC, 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, 20003
Veteran journalist Bill Press sits down for an in-depth conversation with New York Times chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker and The New Yorker staff writer, Susan Glasser, for a candid assessment of President Trump’s first year in office as well as breaking news of the day.
Register here.
