(Jackson, MS) The Mississippi Humanities Council has awarded $450,122 to 36 different cultural organizations through its ARP Humanities Recovery Grant program to help them respond to and recover from the coronavirus. Earlier this summer, the MHC awarded $225,000 in ARP Museum Relief Grants to fifteen large Mississippi museums. This $675,000 in relief funds was provided by Congress through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which engaged the MHC, along with 55 other state and territorial humanities councils, to support America’s cultural sector.
“These museums, historical societies and cultural organizations are vital community resources, said MHC Executive Director Dr. Stuart Rockoff. “Many have struggled due to the economic impact of COVID. Our goal with these recovery grants is to meet their particular organizational needs and help them thrive in the future.”
With the rise of the Delta variant, many cultural organizations continue to struggle to reach their audiences and attract revenue. For many, the pandemic has forced them to rethink their public programs and incorporate more virtual and outdoor events. These ARP Humanities Recovery grant funds will help Mississippi’s cultural sector respond to the ongoing challenge of COVID while planning for a post-pandemic world.
“I am proud of how quickly and efficiently we were able to distribute these federal emergency relief funds,” said Rockoff. “We made a special effort to reach smaller institutions in rural areas and underserved communities. The list of grantees reflects the diversity of humanities organizations across our state.”
Funding for the ARP grants comes from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
ARP Humanities Recovery Grants awarded:
Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum (Bay St. Louis) – $1,787
Arc of Freedom (Brandon) – $10,000
Canton Freedom House Museum – $15,000
Canton-Madison Historical Society – $10,000
Crossroads Museum (Corinth) – $15,000
DeSoto County Museum (Hernando) – $15,000
Dr. John Banks House Museum (Natchez) – $12,000
Emmitt Till Historic Intrepid Center (Glendora) – $13,073
Gulfport Historical Society – $14,168
Hancock County Historical Society (Bay St. Louis) – $9,750
Hattiesburg Convention Commission – Eureka School/African American Military Museum – $15,000
Hinds Community College, Utica Institute Museum – $14,885
Institute of Southern Jewish Life (Jackson) – $15,000
International Museum of Museum Cultures (Jackson) – $9,500
Jimmie Rodgers Museum (Meridian) – $15,000
Lauren Rogers Museum of Art (Laurel) – $11,670
Lighthouse/Black Girl Projects (Jackson/Mayersville) – $12,000
Marion County Historical Museum (Columbia) – $15,000
Migration Heritage Foundation (Durant) – $5,580
Millsaps College– Truth & Racial Healing Center (Jackson) – $15,000
Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum (Gulfport) – $9,000
Mississippi Book Festival (Jackson) – $15,000
Mississippi Cultural Crossroads (Port Gibson) – $6,600
Mississippi Heritage Trust (Jackson) – $13,500
Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum (Meridian) – $15,000
Museum of the Mississippi Delta (Greenwood) – $15,000
Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture – $12,200
Noxubee County Historical Society (Macon) – $6,500
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum (Biloxi) – $15,000
Oren Dunn City Museum (Tupelo) – $11,000
Quitman County Arts Council (Marks) – $12,750
Rhythm Night Club Memorial Museum (Natchez) – $14,160
Smith Robertson Museum (Jackson) – $15,000
Union County Heritage Museum (Amory) – $15,000
University Press of Mississippi (Jackson) – $15,000
Waveland Ground Zero Hurricane Museum – $15,000