African American History Grants

Grants dedicated to projects that preserve and tell the stories of African American history, particularly those stories that are lesser-known or outside the purview of traditional historic preservation.

What They Fund:

• Documentation and preservation of African American heritage and contributions
• Projects telling underrepresented African American stories
• Innovative educational programs related to African American history
• Digital and multimedia projects (graphic novels, augmented reality, virtual reality)
• Community engagement and education initiatives

Geographic Scope: United States

Application Status: By invitation only

Recent Examples of Funded Projects:

• Clemson University ($25,000) - Graphic history of Penn School/Penn Center, first school in the South for formerly enslaved people
• Magnolia House ($20,000) - Shoebox Meal Education Program incorporating AR/VR technology to teach about Jim Crow era Black travelers
• Black History in Action for Cambridgeport ($62,492) - Architectural restoration and reactivation of St. Augustine's African Orthodox Church
• Cecil William South Carolina Civil Rights Museum ($25,000) - Documentary and symposium series about Briggs v. Elliott case
• Providence Preservation Society ($3,000) - Research exploring connections of historic properties to enslaved people

Contact Information:

• Ethiel Garlington, Executive Director
• ethiel@1772foundation.org
• The 1772 Foundation