Dr. Nicole Kaufman associate professor of sociology, investigated the role religion and social science expertise played in the trial of defendants involved in the 1993 uprising in Lucasville, Ohio, the longest prison riot in American history.
Central Region Humanities Center
Apply by Feb. 2 for CRHC Grants
Central Region Humanities Center
Created in 2001 with support from a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, Ohio University's Central Region Humanities Center supports undergraduate experiential learning, faculty and graduate research, and community engagement in the humanities with an emphasis on Southeast Ohio.
The CRHC aims to promote regional understanding by facilitating the exchange of humanities research and program ideas and by amplifying the work of partnering public humanities and community organizations.
The CRHC sponsors an annual speaker series and an interdisciplinary biennial conference that highlight the rich culture and history of the local region. It offers annual student internship and experiential learning grants and faculty and graduate student research grants.
Upcoming Events
Spring Lecture | False Promises: The Struggle for Black Voting Rights in 1800s Ohio
On April 20, 2026: a book talk with author Ric Sheffield, prof. emeritus of legal studies and sociology at Kenyon College
Biennial Conference | 250 Years: The Promises and Legacy of the Declaration of Independence
Keynote: A conversation with Dr. Colleen Shogan, 11th Archivist of the United States, is Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.
Apply for CHRC Grants
Application Deadline: Friday, Feb. 2, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
The Central Region Humanities Center offers faculty and graduate student research and travel grants and student internship and experiential learning grants to support projects related to Ohio and the larger geographic region of which it is part. Ohio University applicants must be working in a humanities or humanities-related discipline. Community partner applicants must represent a public humanities institution within the Ohio region.
The National Endowment for the Humanities defines humanities disciplines as including the study of language (modern and classical), linguistics, literature, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, archaeology [and anthropology], comparative religion, ethics, and art history, criticism and theory. Humanities-related disciplines include social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods.
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Mariana Dantas, CRHC Director dantas@ohio.edu.
Sample 2024-25 Projects Supported by CRHC Grants
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Religion and Science in America's Longest Prison Riot
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African American Experiences in the Ohio River Valley
The African American Research and Service Institute at Ohio University (AARSI) acquired research materials used by students, faculty, and short-term residency scholars working with AARSI's resources to develop research on African American experiences in the Ohio River Valley.
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Green Infrastructure Initiatives in Cleveland
Sean Pierce, a 2025 graduate of the Honors Tutorial College Environmental Studies program, interviewed local government officials, mobile home residents, and small business owners affected by the Euclid Beach Neighborhood Park Plan. His research investigated the socioeconomic impact of green infrastructure initiatives on low-income neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio.
About the Central Region Humanities Center
Advisory Committee
The CRHC’s advisory committee includes Ohio University faculty from African American Studies, English, Fine Arts, Geography, History, Journalism, and Sociology & Anthropology as well as representatives from a number of institutions outside Ohio University, such as the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, the Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Southeast Ohio History Center, the Tablertown People of Color Museum, and the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing, Ohio.
Director
Dr. Mariana Dantas is a historian of slavery in the Americas who has taught at Ohio University and served its academic community for over 20 years. She was appointed director of the Central Region Humanities Center in July of 2025. She aims to support and advance teaching and research in the humanities and public humanities at Ohio University through a productive partnership between the CRHC, other Ohio University academic units, and local and regional history, cultural, and civic organizations.
Support the CRHC
Donations to the Central Region Humanities Center support the academic events, grants, and engagement with local and regional public humanities organizations. Your gift will ensure Ohio University students have access to enriching experiential learning opportunities in the humanities and will enable the Center to continue offering relevant public events to members of our academic, local, and regional communities.