Humanities Feature Bureau

Recent Features

John Cephas's Piedmont Blues

tom_pich_photo_1989_smOn March 4th, bluesman John Cephas passed away at the age of 78.  Though late in life he performed around the world, Cephas learned his style of blues — called the Piedmont Blues — from family in Caroline County, Virginia.  Producer Steve Clark has more on Virginia’s Piedmont Blues.

We recommend these two resources to learn more about John Cephas:

A Reunited Collection Tours the Commonwealth

matisse_loretteMatisse, Picasso, Chagall: an extensive collection of European Modern Art began a two-year tour around Virginia this month.  Sixty years ago, a private donor gave the paintings away, splitting them between the University of Virginia’s Art Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.  This touring exhibition reunites the works for the first time for display in Charlottesville, Winchester, Abingdon and Richmond.  Peter Solomon reports on “Matisse, Picasso, and Modern Art in Paris: The T. Catesby Jones Collection.”

Abraham Lincoln's Shenandoah Valley Roots

Monday February 16th is Presidents Day—set aside to honor Presidents Washington and Lincoln.  Washington is a recognized Virginian. And, although Illinois calls itself the Land of Lincoln, the roots of our sixteenth president actually run deep into Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, as well. Martha Woodroof reports.

History to the NINES

Today  there is a social networking website for every interest group. Even scholars of 19th century history.  But one such website run by the University of Virginia allows researchers to do more than just share pictures or chat, as reporter Martha Woodroof explains.