By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs
created by humanities councils across the United States, its territories, and the District of
Columbia in collaboration with local partners. Together, these programs explore 250
years of the nation's cultural life and imagine its shared future. The initiative was
developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center
for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as a complement to the 2026 Smithsonian Folklife
Festival, with additional funding from the Kentucky Historical Society.
