Reading Women’s History Month, in Ohio and beyond

A woman reads a book while surrounded by other books in an aisle of a bookstore

We’re bookworms at Ohio Humanities. In celebration of Women’s History Month, here are some of our favorite books that tell women’s stories, in Ohio and beyond: Stay and Fight by Madeline Ffitch Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World by Linda Hirshman When Grandma Gatewood Took A Hike by Michelle Houts … Read More

The Storytellers: Amanda Page

Filmmakers Amanda Page and David Bernabo stand in front of a mural that reads '#Portsmouth.' Image courtesy Amanda Page

By Taylor Starek Amanda Page didn’t set out to be a filmmaker.   The 46-year-old is a Columbus-based writer and founder of Scioto Literary, a nonprofit that supports storytellers in Scioto County. She found her way to filmmaking thanks to a case of writer’s block.   She was struggling to pen an essay on her hometown of Portsmouth, located in southern Ohio, … Read More

The Storytellers: Yemi Oyediran

Filmmaker Yemi Oyediran holds on to his headset with his right hand while standing in front of a microphone, recording music for Queen City Kings

By Taylor Starek Secret American lives.   That’s what Yemi Oyediran calls the often-overlooked experiences of racial and cultural minorities. And those stories matter.   So Oyediran, the child of immigrants from Nigeria, co-founded a company to tell them. Oyediran—alongside friend and business partner JP Leong, who is Chinese American—runs AfroChine, a production company that not only partners with Cincinnati arts organizations … Read More

Spotlight on Local History: Alex Corpuz

Alex Corpuz enjoys tackling complex—and sometimes knotty—issues and ideas.   They began college at the Ohio State University in August 2018 as a physics and engineering student. During their sophomore year, they realized they were having more fun doing their German homework than their physics homework. This past spring, they graduated with degrees in German and Medieval Studies. Before heading to … Read More

Ohio Humanities Announces New Chair, Member of Board of Directors

COLUMBUS, OH—Ohio Humanities Executive Director Rebecca Brown Asmo announced this week the selection of Sarah Sisser of Findlay as Chair of the Ohio Humanities Board of Directors. Dr. Annie Bezbatchenko of Bexley will also join the Board. “Sarah brings a wealth of organizational leadership and a fresh perspective to the helm of Ohio Humanities, and Annie a unique passion for … Read More

Ohio Humanities, Wexner Center for the Arts Announce Film Fellowship Partnership

COLUMBUS, OH—Ohio Humanities and the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University are thrilled to announce a three-year partnership to support independent filmmakers-in-residence at the Wex who are working on humanities-informed documentary films. The collaboration will support up to five Ohio Humanities Film Fellows at the Wex each year. “For 50 years, Ohio Humanities has had a … Read More

The Art of Perception: Hometown Juxtaposition

By Amanda Page Portrayals in films, on TV shows, in magazines and across other media can dramatically affect how humans see themselves and each other. We asked three different Ohioans to share how media portrayals impacted their own sense of identity. Life magazine reporter Peter Meyer arrived in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1989 to write about the extended family at 215 … Read More

The Art of Perception: Some Kind of Wonderful

By Melanie Korn Portrayals in films, on TV shows, in magazines and across other media can dramatically affect how humans see themselves and each other. We asked three different Ohioans to share how media portrayals impacted their own sense of identity. As a Gen-X kid, popular culture—Saturday morning cartoons, music videos on MTV, Atari and mixtapes—was a defining framework of … Read More

The Art of Perception: Almost Home

By Ruth Chang Portrayals in films, on TV shows, in magazines and across other media can dramatically affect how humans see themselves and each other. We asked three different Ohioans to share how media portrayals impacted their own sense of identity. “4 5 ‘00.”   In a photograph, my father, my mother, my brother and I sit smiling on the concrete … Read More

Ghoulish reads

Our work often invokes serious topics or discussions, so, here are our favorite spooky books–including some set in Ohio and written by authors from or with ties to Ohio–to help you enjoy the haunted humanities in celebration of All Hallows’ Eve! Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt The Haunted History of the Ohio State Reformatory by Sherri Brake House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski The … Read More