After a year of deliberate and careful exploration, the DC History Center and HumanitiesDC have entered into an agreement to merge. This new organization will bring history and the humanities together as complementary ways of understanding our city
Throughout this process, we have been guided by a shared belief that DC deserves an organization that can preserve the city’s stories, support those telling them, and connect the past with the present in ways that strengthen civic life for generations.
We are excited to combine our greatest strengths, including the DC History Center’s collections, presence at the Carnegie Library, and deep understanding of our collective past, and HumanitiesDC’s public programs, community network, and grants. This union is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something Washington has never had before: a single nonprofit dedicated to preserving the District’s history, celebrating its culture, supporting the humanities, and helping Washingtonians better understand our city and one another.
Grants + Fellowships
Programs + Events
Resources + Services
Training + Workshops
Throughout our year of merger discussion, the DC History Center and HumanitiesDC have continued to deliver robust programs that preserve the city’s history, support humanities practitioners, and create opportunities for learning and dialogue. Together, we engage nearly 180,000 people annually, connecting Washingtonians with the city’s history and culture in ways that deepen understanding and strengthen community.
Collaboration is fundamental to both organizations’ work. Across DC, we work alongside institutions and individuals to create meaningful programs, share resources, and bolster the city’s humanities ecosystem. We have also partnered with one another on several signature initiatives, including the annual DC History Conference, the DC Oral History Collaborative, and, most recently, hometown DC.
As a unified organization, we will have an even greater opportunity to connect people and institutions, build on the impact of this collective work, and serve as a convener and advocate for Washington’s humanities and cultural community.
Search our FAQs to learn what the DC History Center and HumanitiesDC’s intent to merge means for you. Don’t see your question? Send us an email at info@dchistory.org.
We’re bringing together two highly respected organizations—a historical society and a humanities council—to create a one-of-a-kind collaboration for Washington, DC. At a time when both the cultural sector and DC’s unique identity face significant challenges, joining forces allows us to be stronger, more resilient, and more ambitious about serving the city.
Everything you value from the two organizations will continue: grants, programs, the Kiplinger Research Library, events, exhibitions, and more. Together, we’ll reach an even broader community of people who are curious about DC and passionate about its history and culture.
History grounds us in evidence, memory, and analysis. The humanities help us understand culture, communities, and experiences different from our own. Together, they help us find common ground—and strengthen our understanding of the city we share, especially in fractured times.
In many ways, no, but as we come together they will expand and evolve. We are still the home for local Washington, DC, history and the humanities. In this new chapter, we will strengthen our ability to keep DC’s stories alive—not just documented and preserved, but understood, taught, and shared. We will continue to amplify the city’s diverse voices, including those traditionally left out of dominant historical narratives. We will foster a sense of belonging in the District that comes from truly understanding where you live and who your neighbors are. We believe that curiosity and scholarship build a more engaged community, and that everyone in DC deserves to see themselves in the city’s cultural identity.
Our new organization will have a new name and a new look! We can’t wait to introduce it to you in the months ahead, so stay tuned.
While you may notice some updated job titles soon, rest assured that our experienced staff from both teams are combining their expertise to ensure the continuity of our programs, grants, and community relationships. Our entire staff has been deeply engaged throughout this transition, and we are excited to collaborate in ways that are both familiar and brand-new as we build our path forward together.
Yes, we are proudly maintaining our status as DC’s designated humanities council. This landmark merger between a humanities council and historical society expands what’s possible for local programming and resources.
We remain fully committed to strengthening DC’s humanities community by offering fellowships and grant opportunities to independent practitioners, community experts, and humanities-based organizations. These opportunities are supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Funding decisions will continue to be driven by volunteer community grant reviewers with strong connections to the humanities in DC. Stay tuned for more information about our 2027 grants and fellowships coming soon!
Current grants will continue uninterrupted and follow the same calendar of activities and reporting as stated in their agreements. If you have any questions regarding a current grant please feel free to reach out to our Community Grant Managers at grants@humanitiesdc.org.
Donations can still be made to either organization at this time. However, if you’d like to support the merger and launch of the new organization, please make your donation to HumanitiesDC. HumanitiesDC’s EIN will transfer to the new organization under the legal name, Historical Society and Humanities Council of Washington, DC. The organization’s public name and branding will be announced in the coming months.
Your donation will support the new organization’s programs and operations. Community grants will continue to be offered through dedicated funding and will not be funded by general donations or grants.
Membership will continue under the new organization with the same benefits, including a subscription to Washington History magazine, which we intend to resume publishing in 2027. We will update the program in the coming year to reflect the new organization’s offerings.
Yes! Our offerings and exhibits in the Carnegie Library are not changing. We’d love to see you!
No, the collection materials will not be impacted by the planned merger, and the library will continue to provide its exemplary service to connect those materials to prospective researchers. There will be continuity in staffing, so you should feel free to reach out to the library (library@dchistory.org) and the collections manager (collections@dchistory.org) with your questions or with feedback on ways we can improve the services we provide to the public.
All programming will continue—and by merging, we can do even more. Come join a DC community of fellow curious minds!
Planning for the 2027 DC History Conference is already underway! The conference has been presented jointly by the DC History Center, HumanitiesDC, and DC Public Library for years. Our coming together as a new organization will only strengthen this important annual event.
Yes! While Washington History has been on pause, we intend to resume publication in 2027 and look forward to sharing more information this fall.
We are for anyone who is curious about DC! No matter your age, background, or where you call home, our community includes lifelong residents and newcomers, as well as anyone who has a meaningful connection to DC through family, school, worship, work, or recreation. We want you to love DC and be a champion for our city.