Richard H. Brown/William Lloyd Barber Fellowships Grant

The Richard H. Brown/William Lloyd Barber Fellowships, established by the Newberry Library in 1887, support innovative research in American history. Scholars with a PhD or equivalent can apply, with a focus on utilizing the Newberry's extensive collections. The fellowship offers four to nine months of immersive research, fostering collaboration and discoveries in various fields. Ideal for those seeking to deepen their understanding of historical narratives, the fellowship encourages impactful scholarship and community engagement.

Curious people from all over visit to research topics of interest, discover their family history, take classes, or learn something new and unexpected. Our collections, programs, and exhibitions are a portal to more than six centuries of human history, from the 15th century to the present. Our community of learning includes historians, genealogists, visual and performing artists, writers, graphic designers, teachers, students, and many, many others.
Long-Term Fellowships-Richard H. Brown/William Lloyd Barber Fellowships
Newberry fellowships give researchers the time, space, and community required to pursue innovative and ground-breaking projects. Fellows advance scholarship in various fields, develop new interpretations, and expand our understanding of the past. Researchers with long-term fellowships spend four to nine months immersed in the Newberry collection and in our community of learning. While pursuing significant works of scholarship, they make discoveries, present works in progress, and take their projects to the next level.
Richard H. Brown/William Lloyd Barber Fellowships support scholarship in any area of American history that is relevant to the Newberry’s collection. Applications that propose productive use of the Newberry’s collections are more likely to receive fellowship awards.

Eligibility

Open only to scholars who have been awarded a PhD or other equivalent terminal degree by the application deadline.Open to scholars of any nationality. The Newberry sponsors international scholars under the J-1 visa.If you live or work in the Chicago metropolitan area and meet the other eligibility criteria, you are eligible for a long-term fellowship at the Newberry.

Ineligibility

If you’ve received a long-term fellowship, you cannot apply for a second fellowship (long-term or short-term) for the same project.If you've received a long-term fellowship in the past, you must wait a period of five years before applying for another long-term fellowship.