Project Grant MN30395225

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded a $300,000 Project Grant under the Promotion of the Humanities Public Programs (CFDA 45.164) to the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association. The grant will fund the development of an engaging website that increases understanding of New England slavery and the experiences of African Americans in early rural New England, with a focus on the life of Lucy Terry Prince, the first documented African American poet. The website will illuminate key aspects of the Revolutionary Era, including how the slave trade and enslaved labor fueled the New England maritime economy, how the desire for independence gave rise to principles seized upon by enslaved people to obtain freedom, and how African Americans struggled to enact those principles after the Revolution while cultivating their humanity and self-determination. The project period runs from February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2028.