National Archives Awards $3.2 Million in Grants for Documentary Editing and Archival Projects
Press Release · Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Washington, DC

Washington, DC…Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero has awarded 30 proposals totaling $3,183,844 for projects in 19 states. The National Archives grants program is carried out through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). A complete list of new grants is available online.

Grants went to 16 documentary editing projects to publish the papers of key American figures, including three new projects—the Yale Indian Papers Project, the Robert Treat Paine Papers, and the Pinckney Statesmen of South Carolina. A grant also went to the Association for Documentary Editing to hold the Institute for Editing Historical Documents, now in its 45th year.

Five projects will undertake digitization and publishing historical records collections online documenting: the 1970 shootings at Kent State; James R. Mead, the plainsman and co-founder of Wichita, Kansas; the late 19th century president of Johns Hopkins University Daniel C. Gilman; printed materials from the Pan Am World Airways collection at the University of Miami; and American writer Hamlin Garland. A project at the Bancroft Library will also process approximately 500 linear feet drawn from 13 environmental organizations’ collections.

Three projects will process electronic records from State governments in Colorado, Illinois, and Alabama. Efforts to increase public engagement and use of archives will take place at the University of Rochester with work on the Seward Family papers; the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s collaborative to introduce middle and high school students to use historical records to track wildlife species and study forests; a family history project for 10th graders in Queens, New York; and a history curriculum initiative in South Carolina using historical documents in digital collections.

The NHPRC also unveiled its new Strategic Plan which will launch leadership initiatives in new methods of publishing historical records, public engagement, digital preservation, and partnerships with the states. In addition, the Commission combined several grant categories into a single Access to Historical Records with two tiers of funding for Major Initiatives and for Archives Projects.

Kathleen Williams, Executive Director of the NHPRC, presented the grant applications and policy issues to the full Commission. The Archivist of the United States, David S. Ferriero, is the Chairman of the Commission. Attending were Senator Dan Sullivan (AK) representing the U.S. Senate; Karen Jefferson, Atlanta University Center, Presidential Appointee; Naomi Nelson, Duke University, Presidential Appointee; W. Eric Emerson, representing the American Association for State and Local History; Peter Gottlieb, representing the Society of American Archivists; Erin Mahan, representing the Department of Defense; George Miles, representing the Organization of American Historians; Kaye Lanning Minchew, representing the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators; Stephen P. Randolph, representing the Department of State; Nicole Saylor, representing the Library of Congress; Ray Smock, representing the Association for Documenting Editing; and William G. Thomas, III, representing the American Historical Association. Established in 1934, the NHPRC awards grants for preserving, publishing, and providing access to vital historical documents.

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