The city of brotherly love: religious diversity, freedom, and the founding of the nation in philadelphia [this institute will explore the lived history of diverse religious people and communities of…

This $174,182 Project Grant award from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Promotion of the Humanities Professional Development program (CFDA 45.163) will fund a two-week, in-person institute for 25 K-12 educators (primarily grades 9-12) in areas of social studies, history, or related fields. The institute will explore the lived history of diverse religious people and communities in early Philadelphia and their impact on national conversations about democracy and religious freedom. By the end of the eighteenth century, Philadelphia had more religious diversity than anywhere else in the new nation, including Jews, Catholics, freethinkers, Muslims, and practitioners of traditional African religions. The institute will equip educators to develop classroom curricula related to the role of religious diversity in social and political life in the U.S. through the lens of Philadelphia. The award period runs from October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

The city of brotherly love: religious diversity, freedom, and the founding of the nation in philadelphia [this institute will explore the lived history of diverse religious people and communities of early philadelphia and its impact on national conversations about democracy and religious freedom. By the end of the eighteenth century, philadelphia had more religious diversity than anywhere else in the new nation. That diversity extended beyond the varieties of protestantism that are typically highlighted in the period. Philadelphia had jews, catholics, freethinkers, muslims and practitioners of traditional african religions. The promises of religious and political freedom were experienced differently, and the legacy of race, class, and settler colonialism continued to shape society?S power dynamics. This two-week, in-person institute will equip 25 K-12 educators (primarily grades 9-12) in areas of social studies, history, or related fields to develop classroom curricula related to the role of religious diversity in social / political life in the U.S through the lens of philly]