The
new three-year grant is the largest
the Papers of Abraham Lincoln has
received from the NEH. It comes in
the form of $100,000 in outright
funds and $300,000 in matching
funds.
“NEH is proud to support programs
that illuminate the great ideas and
events of our past, broaden access
to our nation’s many cultural
resources, and open up for us new
ways of understanding the world in
which we live,” said William Adams,
chairman of the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
The grant covers the period from
July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2019. It
will support the salaries of editors
who are working through the
documentation of Abraham Lincoln’s
early life and career. These staff
members, along with other editors,
will focus on the markup, annotation
and review of Lincoln's legislation,
correspondence and speeches during
his single term in Congress
(1847-1849).
Because most of this offer comes
in the form of a matching grant, the
Papers of Abraham Lincoln must raise
at least $100,000 a year from
private sources to match the amount
offered by the NEH. Thus, the NEH
award effectively doubles each
private donation from friends and
supporters of the Papers of Abraham
Lincoln.
“This grant represents an
affirmation of the importance of our
project,” said Director and Editor
Daniel W. Stowell. “NEH support
validates the progress we have made
thus far and encourages private
support of the exciting work
remaining before us.”
Stowell noted that congressional
support makes it possible for the
National Endowment for the
Humanities to assist research like
the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. He
thanked members of Congress from
Illinois.
Sen. Dick Durbin praised the work of
the Papers of Abraham Lincoln.
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“Just as Illinois
left its mark on the character of
Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln left his
lasting impressions on our state’s
artifacts, landscapes, buildings and
folklore,” Durbin said. “The Papers
of Abraham Lincoln has played an
integral role in providing Illinois
visitors and residents alike the
opportunity to experience the magic
of Lincoln’s legacy. This funding
will allow the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum to
continue their valuable work
expanding our knowledge and
understanding of this incredible
historical figure.”
Congressman Rodney
Davis added: “Although it has been
more than 150 years since President
Lincoln’s passing, we continue to
learn from his legacy through the
phenomenal work and research of the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
and Museum. It is great to see the
NEH continuing to support the Papers
of Abraham Lincoln project as there
is still much to learn about the
legislative career of one of our
country’s greatest and most
inspirational leaders.”
The Papers of Abraham Lincoln is a
long-term project dedicated to
finding, imaging, transcribing,
annotating and publishing all
documents written by or to Lincoln
during his lifetime (1809-1865). The
project is administered by the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
and Museum (www.illinois.gov/alplm)
and is cosponsored by the Center for
State Policy and Leadership at the
University of Illinois and the
Abraham Lincoln Association.
Created in 1965 as an independent
federal agency, the National
Endowment for the Humanities
supports research and learning in
history, literature, philosophy and
other areas of the humanities by
funding selected, peer-reviewed
proposals from around the nation.
Additional information about the
National Endowment for the
Humanities and its grant programs is
available at: www.neh.gov.
[Shanta Thoele, Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency]
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