Hampton, VA (June 14, 2023) – Hampton University announced that it has been chosen to receive $65,000 in funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This funding will support More Than Manicured Lawns: Hampton University’s Historically-Themed Landscape Plan.
“We are grateful to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund for their support of our project, ‘More Than Manicured Lawns’ and our dedication to telling stories of African American achievement and resilience,” said President Darrell K. Williams. “This funding will allow us to further enhance and preserve the historical significance of our university’s landscape, ensuring that future generations can experience and appreciate the rich heritage it represents.”
“The Action Fund’s investment in and celebration of 40 historic African American places illustrates our belief that historic preservation plays an important role in American society,” said Brent Leggs, executive director, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and senior vice president, National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The history embodied in these places is emblematic of generational aspirations for freedom, the pursuit of education, a need for beauty and architecture, and joys of social life and community bonds. That’s why the Action Fund believes all Americans must see themselves and our shared history in this year’s grantee list if we are to create a culturally conscious nation.”
Hampton University is one of 40 sites to receive a total of $3.8 million in grant funding to advance ongoing preservation activities for historic places such as sites, museums, and landscapes that represent African American cultural heritage. With more than $91 million in funding, the Action Fund is the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.
Since 2017, the Action Fund has received an unprecedented total of 5,638 funding proposals requesting $655 million, and since 2018, the Action Fund has supported 242 grantee projects through its investment of $20M.
To learn more about this program and this year’s grant recipients, visit savingplaces.org/actionfund.