The Institute of Museum and Library Services has recently awarded a total of $5,916,807 in grant funding to 30 projects at public and academic African American museums to improve operations and support the growth of museum professionals. Since its establishment in 2006, the program has awarded nearly $36 million to institutions across the country. This year, three grants were awarded to projects in higher education.
The Center for African American History and Culture & Library Services at historically Black Virginia Union University has received $52,253 to digitize and provide public access to the Hartshorn Memorial College collection in the L. Douglas Wilder Library. The collection documents the history of Hartshorn Memorial College, a women’s college and historically Black college that merged with Virginia Union University in 1932.
The Legacy Museum at historically Black Tuskegee University in Alabama has received $100,000 to improve the stewardship of its collection by rehousing objects in its art and bioethics collections. For the project, staff will work with a contractor to purchase and install archival shelving units and storage systems, allowing increased access to the collection and additional space for staff operations.
The Driskell Center at the University of Maryland has received $289,223 to increase accessibility of three of its archival collections from African American artists Alonzo Davis, Michael D. Harris, and Robin Holder. The project will involve university staff and paid student interns working together to catalog and digitize the collection for online public access.
More information on the grant program and the full list of awardees can be accessed here.
