Soul of a People: Voices From the Writers' Project (HISTORICAL)

About the Soul of a People: Voices From the Writers' Project “Soul of a People” will offer grants of $2,500 to 30 libraries to present programs focused on the Federal Writers’ Project. The grants will be used for scholar honoraria, book purchases, publicity, and other program-associated costs approved by the NEH. Application will be open to public, academic, and special libraries across the United States. Libraries will be asked to enlist from a local college or university a lead project scholar with expertise in American history, the WPA, and/or the WPA era to help present and plan programs, ensure that program content conveys intended humanities themes, and work with local media and other partners in planning. A planning workshop will be held in Washington, D.C., for the library project coordinator and scholar from each selected library to plan programs and discuss humanities themes and resources. The project advisory committee scholars—all of them historians with expertise about the Writers’ Project—will make presentations to the group.Libraries and their local project scholars will be required to collaborate with at least one of the following in planning their programs: a local public television station, a state humanities council, a college or university, a museum, a state library with FWP archives, or a state or regional folklife center (there are 45 state folklife centers). Collaborating with more than one partner will be encouraged in the application guidelines.

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Award and Frequency

This award is not currently being given out.

Application Instructions

This grant is no longer available.

Contact Information

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Selection Criteria

Libraries will present the following programs, which have been developed to: 1) represent the broad scope of Federal Writers’ Project works; 2) encourage scholar-led discussion about the project’s major humanities themes; 3) acquaint a new audience with the remarkable output of the Writers’ Project and with online and print resources that provide access to the project’s primary resources; and 4) complement the broadcast of the documentary, Soul of a People.