HFA Dean Barbara Krauthamer Appointed to Mass Cultural Council

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Gov. Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito have appointed UMass Amherst Dean of the College of Humanities & Fine Arts Barbara Krauthamer to the Mass Cultural Council, the Commonwealth’s agency that promotes excellence, inclusion, education and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences. 

As a member of the council, Krauthamer will serve on the council for a three-year term. In this role, she will help establish initiatives, select grant recipients, and advocate for artists, communities, organizations, and schools in support of the Mass Cultural Council mission of fostering a rich cultural life for all Massachusetts residents and contributing to the vitality of our communities and economy. 

“I’ve long admired the work of the Mass Cultural Council, so it is an honor to be selected to serve in this role,” Krauthamer says. "I hope to use this opportunity to further advocate for inclusion, equity, and social justice within the creative realm, and help support the profound artistry and talents within the Commonwealth.” 

A virtual swearing-in ceremony will take place on Nov. 18.  

Krauthamer has a long record of academic service on and off campus. In 2017, she received the Lorraine A. Williams Leadership Award from the Association of Black Women Historians in recognition of both her scholarship and her work to create opportunities for Black women in higher education. She served as president of the Southern Association of Women Historians and has held leadership positions in professional organizations, including the Association of Black Women Historians, the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians and the Southern Historical Association.  

Currently, Krauthamer serves on the Massachusetts Women’s Network of the American Council on Education and sits on the boards of the Berkshire Museum and the Samuel Harrison Society, both in Pittsfield. 

A member of the UMass Amherst Department of History faculty since 2008, Krauthamer is an eminent historian of slavery and emancipation in the 19th century American South. She was named dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts in 2020. In this role, she has supported the expansion of programs to support faculty research, increase funding and resources for underrepresented students, and promote curricular innovation.  

She previously served as dean of the UMass Amherst Graduate School from 2017 to 2020 and associate dean of the Graduate School from 2015 to 2017, during which she created multiple fellowship and mentoring programs designed to support the recruitment and retention of traditionally underrepresented graduate students.   

To learn more about the Massachusetts Cultural Council, visit massculturalcouncil.org.