Friday, May 22, 2015

AHC and BHCA Receive Arkansas Humanities Council Grants



The Arkansas History Commission and State Archives and the Black History Commission of Arkansas were recently awarded over $24,000.  

In early May, the Arkansas Humanities Council, Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the History Commission $24,050 for public programming and outreach.  Throughout each year, the History Commission sponsors various workshops and symposiums for its patrons.  The Humanities Council grant will help support workshops and symposiums held during 2015. 

The Black History Commission of Arkansas also received a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council as well. The BHCA was awarded a $1,350 African American Heritage Grant for the purpose of supporting public programming and education. Each year, the BHCA holds two symposiums dedicated to furthering the study of African American history in Arkansas. This grant will assist in funding the June 6, 2015, symposium focusing on the roots of African American foodways. 

In reference to the importance of  the History Commission receiving this external funding, Dr. Lisa Speer, director of the AHC, said, “Without funding from the Council, the Commission would not be able to accomplish some of its goals. My staff and I are grateful for the support that the Council has provided to the Commission through the years.”

The Arkansas History Commission and State Archives, located in Little Rock, is the official state archives of Arkansas and maintains the largest collection of historical materials on Arkansas in the world. The mission of the Black History Commission of Arkansas is to collect materials pertaining to African American history for the Arkansas History Commission, to encourage research in the state's African American history, and to cooperate with the Arkansas Department of Education to develop materials that support the teaching of African American history in our public schools.