Adams papers editorial project [the adams papers editorial project at the massachusetts historical society (MHS) is the authoritative scholarly edition of the diaries, letters, official records,…

The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the Massachusetts Historical Society $230,000 on January 1, 2026, under the Scholarly Editions and Translations program (CFDA 45.040) to support the Adams Papers Editorial Project.

The project produces authoritative scholarly editions of diaries, letters, official records, public writings, and literary materials written by three generations of the Adams family of Massachusetts—including Abigail Adams, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Charles Francis Adams—and their families. Since 1961, the project has published 59 volumes, with 52 freely available online. The funding supports continued editorial work focused on the founding generation's efforts to establish the American union, with editors targeting completion of this complex saga by 2040.

The Massachusetts Historical Society, a Boston-based tax-exempt nonprofit, is the recipient. The Adams Papers Editorial Project is based on the Adams Family Papers Collection at the society and supplemented by Adams manuscripts in other archives. Work is performed in Massachusetts. The period of performance runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027.

The Scholarly Editions and Translations program supports collaborative teams editing, annotating, and translating foundational texts and documents vital to humanities scholarship. All editions and translations must contain additional scholarly material such as introductions and annotations and may be published in print, digital, or combined format.

Adams papers editorial project [the adams papers editorial project at the massachusetts historical society (MHS) is the authoritative scholarly edition of the diaries, letters, official records, public writings, and literary miscellanies written by three generations of the adams family of massachusetts, including abigail adams, john adams, john quincy adams, charles francis adams, and their families. Based on the adams family papers collection at the MHS and supplemented by adams manuscripts in other archives, this family record charts the changes that transformed american life between the american revolution and the civil war. Since 1961, the project has published 59 volumes, with 52 freely available online. Editors are focused on the founding generation?S efforts to establish the american union, a complex saga that will unfold by 2040. The adams papers has received the aid of the NEH continuously since 2003, and we seek further support to make this unparalleled resource accessible to all.]