Program Overview
Out of concern for the health of communities across the state, we and our partners are temporarily canceling all in-person Humanities Washington events. However, we will be holding online Speakers Bureau events with our partners. Find online events on our calendar, or learn how to host an online Speakers Bureau event here.
You don’t need to be a student or live near a college to hear an intriguing talk from a scholar or expert. In communities throughout Washington State, Speakers Bureau presenters give free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, spiritual traditions, and everything in between.
Our roster of 34 Speakers Bureau presenters is made up of professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others—all chosen not only for their expertise, but also for their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds. Hundreds of Speakers Bureau events take place each year. Each talk lasts about an hour.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, we partner with a wide range of organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, retirement homes, community centers, and civic organizations. These organizations host and publicize the events.
Find a Speakers Bureau event near you. We also encourage nonprofit organizations to host a speaker.
Speakers Bureau is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Washington via the Office of the Secretary of State, and the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.
Upcoming Online Events
ONLINE: Sticky Subject: The History and Culture of Sugar
When King Henry VIII wanted three pounds of sugar for his guests at an important banquet, he had a tough time getting it. Now the average American eats that much sugar in a single week. Once a rare, exotic ingredient, sugar has become a dietary staple, leaving its sticky fingerprints all over the globe. Anthropologist […]

- When
- 6:00 pm, Thursday
January 28, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: Who Was Chief Seattle?
Chief Seattle wrote nothing down during his life, yet his words—both real and imagined—are known throughout the world. The result is a man made up of both historical and fictional aspects, from which conflicting messages can be gleaned. David M. Buerge, a biographer and a historian to the Duwamish Tribe, Seattle’s mother’s people, spent more […]

- When
- 12:00 pm, Tuesday
February 2, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion
In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the […]

- When
- 12:00 pm, Monday
February 8, 2021 - Register
- Registration info to come
ONLINE: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Principal’s Office?
Beginning as early as preschool, Black students are disproportionately suspended and expelled from school. As many of these students reach adulthood, these punishments can lead to legal trouble, creating what some call the “school-to-prison pipeline” that affects many Black communities. Why are Black students punished more than others in the classroom? Based on his extensive […]

- When
- 6:00 pm, Thursday
February 11, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: She Traveled Solo: Strong Women in the Early 20th Century
During a 5,000 mile solo bicycle ride from southern California to Maine, Tessa Hulls heard the same thing daily: that a woman can’t travel alone. She began researching other women who traveled solo in different ways, and became fascinated with many in stories from the early 20th century: explorers, mountaineers, and even a circus performer—women […]

- When
- 2:00 pm, Tuesday
February 16, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: Who Was Chief Seattle?
Chief Seattle wrote nothing down during his life, yet his words—both real and imagined—are known throughout the world. The result is a man made up of both historical and fictional aspects, from which conflicting messages can be gleaned. David M. Buerge, a biographer and a historian to the Duwamish Tribe, Seattle’s mother’s people, spent more […]

- When
- 1:00 pm, Thursday
February 18, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: What Your Home Says about the World
Whether it’s teacups or televisions, what you decide to keep—and not keep—in your home provides deep insights about you, your family, and society itself. Join sociologist and writer Michelle Janning to discover how home spaces and objects tell the story of what’s happening in contemporary families. From stuffed animals to smartphones to love letters, the […]

- When
- 6:30 pm, Thursday
February 18, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register
ONLINE: Heating Up: The Ethics of Climate Change
What if we could tell ourselves a new story about climate change—and, in doing, so, alter our relationship to our planet? With larger, longer wildfire seasons, accelerating species extinction, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise, it’s increasingly clear that climate change isn’t something that’s about to happen—it’s here. But while the laundry list of problems wrought […]

- When
- 2:30 pm, Wednesday
February 24, 2021 - Register
- Click here to register