“With these grants, museums dedicated to the African American experience will be able to preserve their collections, train their staff, and reach out to their communities,” said Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel. “IMLS is proud to support these institutions as they work to protect our shared American history.”

Over the past four years, AAHC grants have helped African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) build capacity by supporting professional training, technical assistance, internships, and expert consultations. The grant program is authorized by the National Museum of African American History and Culture Act and developed in consultation with the Council and Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

This year, awardees have proposed significant projects that will strengthen the African American museum field, including the following:

The Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Baltimore, MD, will strengthen its school tours program by hiring a director of education to develop a new interactive school program, which will be aligned with the Maryland State Standards of Learning. The museum will also hire two part-time educators to engage in strategic outreach to local schools and other organizations serving Baltimore’s at-risk youth population. Click here for more information about this year’s grantees.

The next deadline for the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program is January 18, 2011. 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 123,000 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 www.imls.gov.

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