Yale Public Humanities was thrilled to host the 2024 North Eastern Public Humanities (NEPH) Symposium on campus and at the New Haven Free Public Library from April 12–13. Since launching NEPH—a rotating conference of 8 partner public humanities programs at private and public universities—at Yale in spring 2015, the NEPH gathering returned to Yale for the first time in April. 80 faculty and graduate students registered for our Friday afternoon site visits to partner institutions like New Haven Museum and NXTHVN, followed by an evening dinner and keynote by New Haven’s Director of Cultural Affairs Adriane V. Jefferson, introduced by Deputy Director of the New Haven Free Public Library Luis Chavez-Brumell.
Saturday, April 13, included an inspiring “lightning” round—current graduate student public humanities students giving 6-minute talks; an extraordinary “thunder” round—the new public humanities projects of NEPH alumni; and a compelling afternoon panel on current faculty projects, including work by Cyra Levenson at the Guggenheim, Anna Reisman at Yale Medical School, Daniel HoSang in American Studies, Elihu Rubin in American Studies and Architecture, and Dicky Yangzom in Sociology. The symposium concluded with a reception at the Study Hotel’s beautiful penthouse space.