Payne theological seminary will implement a phased, strategic approach designed to stabilize, preserve, and expand access to payne's historical collections of african american religious and…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Payne Theological Seminary of Wilberforce, Ohio $607,833 on September 1, 2026, under the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program (CFDA 45.309).

The award funds a three-year project to stabilize, preserve, and expand access to Payne's historical collections of African American religious and educational history. The project includes recruitment and training of student interns in archival handling, preservation techniques, and metadata standards. Payne will conduct a full inventory of archival materials and develop a prioritization matrix based on condition, significance, and research value. The seminary will strengthen preservation infrastructure by acquiring archival-grade materials, improving environmental controls, and exploring opportunities for expanded digital storage and access. In the final phase, students will be trained to conduct oral history interviews with alumni, clergy, scholars, and community elders; transcripts and audio files will be integrated into the digital repository. Work is performed in Wilberforce, Ohio, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029.

Payne theological seminary will implement a phased, strategic approach designed to stabilize, preserve, and expand access to payne's historical collections of african american religious and educational history. The project supports the recruitment of student interns and training of staff in archival handling, preservation techniques, and metadata standards. The project team will conduct a full inventory of archival materials and develop a prioritization matrix based on condition, significance, and research value. The project will also strengthen preservation infrastructure by acquiring archival-grade materials, improving environmental controls, and exploring opportunities for expanded digital storage and access. The final phase expands the project's scope through an oral history initiative. Students will be trained to conduct interviews with alumni, clergy, scholars, and community elders. Transcripts and audio files will be integrated into the digital repository. By the end of the project, payne will have significantly increased its archival capacity, preserved high-value historical materials, expanded digital access, and strengthened its role as a steward of african american religious and educational history.