Articles

In December 2015, Humanities Texas welcomed National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chairman William D. Adams to the Lone Star State. Over three and a half days, Chairman Adams traveled to Austin, Houston, and Dallas, visiting universities and cultural institutions in each city.

The Chairman's presence provided an opportunity for Humanities Texas to convene a group of distinguished veterans, all of whom are professionally involved in the humanities, for an engaging roundtable discussion at the Byrne-Reed House in Austin. During the conversation, participants shared their personal experiences and reflected on the importance of humanities-based discussion programs for veterans inspired by NEH’s Standing Together: The Humanities and the Experience of War initiative.

The Fall 2016 issue of Humanities, NEH's quarterly magazine, featured the transcript of this conversation in its entirety. Visit the Humanities website to enjoy the full article: "If Odysseus Started a Book Club."

Chairman Adams (center) participates in a roundtable conversation with (from l to r) veterans Terry Anderson, professor of U.S. history at Texas A&M University; Paul Woodruff, professor of philosophy and classics at The University of Texas at Austin (UT); Montgomery Meigs, retired Army four-star general and former Commander of the U.S. Army Europe; Edwin Dorn, professor of public affairs in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT and former Under Secretary of Defense; and John Meyer, UT doctoral student. HTx Director of Public Programs Melissa J. Huber moderated the discussion.