National Arts and Humanities Month in October celebrates the crucial role of the arts and humanities to connect communities and cultures, promote inclusion, enhance wellbeing and make a difference in people’s lives throughout the University of Delaware and across the state of Delaware.​

Throughout the month, the University is offering close to 50 events ranging from engaging performances to thought-provoking lectures and presentations.

A highlight of the month happens Oct. 14, 2024, when the College of Arts and Sciences welcomes Lonnie G. Bunch, 14th secretary of the Smithsonian, for the annual Paul R. Jones Distinguished Lecture, “A Cultural Heritage Conversation.” Bunch will discuss the importance of preserving the objects that reflect our shared heritage.

Paul R. Jones gifted the University of Delaware an extensive collection of African-American art, believing that cultural heritage is a tangible link to our history and an opportunity to share stories and learn from others. The Paul R. Jones Distinguished Lecture honors Jones’ legacy and underscores the significance of Black arts. 

“We are honored that Secretary Bunch will share his personal and professional experiences, centered on the vital importance of cultural heritage preservation, with the UD community,” said Debra Hess Norris, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Department of Art Conservation.

“The humanities challenge us to become the best humans we can possibly be, through listening, looking, and learning from one another,” remarked Wendy Bellion, associate dean for the humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“The arts at UD provide unique and distinctive avenues for creative expression as performers, creators, and connoisseurs. Artistic engagement with visual art, digital media, music, theatre and dance promotes cultural diversity and inclusivity, engenders health and wellbeing, leads to social justice and reform, and catalyzes communities to thrive,” said Suzanne Burton, senior associate dean for the arts in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The college also proudly announces expanded community partnerships with Delaware institutions, rooted in the shared commitment to enriching the human experience through the arts and humanities.

This year, the month highlights several days focusing on African American culture and history, including a jazz performance by musician Jonathan Whitney originally commissioned by the Friends of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site, and the James E. Newton symposium, ‘The Future of Africana Studies.

“These events allow us to illuminate institutional and community partnerships with the Delaware Art Museum, which will feature a ‘Jazz Age Illustration’ exhibition, and the Wilmington Public Library, which will host the Newton symposium,” Bellion continued.

Below are highlights from the nearly 50 events offered during National Arts and Humanities Month. Please visit the College of Arts and Sciences website for the full list.

Cooch’s Bridge: The African American Presence

When: Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Where: Gore Recital Hall

Cooch’s Bridge: The African American Presence is a ten-movement jazz suite inspired by the African Americans, both free and enslaved, who lived, worked and fought on the Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site from the mid-1700s to the present, asking and answering questions that humanize this resilient community. Composer and UD alumnus Jonathan W. Whitney spent hours talking to scholars and researching the many Black bodies that passed through the Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site.

The Future of Africana Studies: Inaugural James E. Newton Symposium

When: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Where: Wilmington Public Library, 10 E. 10th St., Wilmington, Delaware

The 2024 Inaugural James Newton Symposium is a partnership between the Department of Africana Studies and the Wilmington Public Library exploring the robust field of Africana studies. James E. Newton was one of the founding directors of the program in Black Studies (now the Department of Africana Studies), and the James E. Newton Symposium builds on his legacy of activism and people-centered scholarship.

The 2024 Paul R. Jones Annual Distinguished Lecture: A Conversation about Cultural Heritage

When: Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, 4 p.m.

Where: Gore Recital Hall

Lonnie G. Bunch III, 14th secretary of the Smithsonian, presents “A Conversation about Cultural Heritage.” Bunch oversees the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, as well as numerous research centers and education units.

Little Women: The Broadway Musical

When: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, 3 p.m.

Where: Puglisi Orchestra Hall

The UD School of Music’s Lyric Theatre presents Little Women: The Musical, Louisa May Alcott’s timeless story of four sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March, coming of age in Massachusetts during the American Civil War.

MINE: What is Ours in the Wake of Extraction

When: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec 13, 2024

Where: Mechanical Hall Gallery

MINE: What is Ours in the Wake of Extraction explores the impact of illegal mining on the Harakbut Indigenous community in the Amazon, including increased pollution, deforestation and disease. A collection of 28 acrylic paintings from the Etochime Artist Collective is on display along with specimens from the Mineralogical Museum known as conflict minerals – mined resources that contribute to environmental harm – as well as a selection of 10 artworks emphasizing the global impact of these issues.