WASHINGTON, DC—On July 29, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded $827,290 to eight exceptional institutions as part of the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) program. These grants are available to organizations that focus on African American life, art, history, or culture, and can be used for programs to recruit, train, and retain skilled and new museum professionals in African American museums. Click here for a list of the 2008 AAHC grant recipients.

“Museums dedicated to the African American experience offer people of all backgrounds a unique opportunity to study and appreciate underrepresented aspects of our shared American history,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. “Through the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture, the Institute supports professional training, technical assistance, internship opportunities, and other important staff-development programming for these museums.”

In 2003, the National Museum of African American History and Culture Act authorized IMLS – in conjunction with the Council and Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture– to institute a new grant program to strengthen African American museum services. Officially launched in 2006, the AAHC grant program has awarded more than two million dollars to 26 institutions nationwide, including museums, historically black colleges and universities, and organizations providing services to African American museums.

The next deadline for the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program is January 15, 2009. Click here for more information.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.