National Humanities Center Commits Support to HBCU Faculty Research | National Humanities Center

News From the Center

National Humanities Center Commits Support to HBCU Faculty Research

August 5, 2022

In an effort to address historical inequities in research support for faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the National Humanities Center has partnered with the UNCF/Mellon Programs as well as dedicated a portion of its endowment to make residential fellowship opportunities available to HBCU scholars.

HBCU faculty may be selected for a fellowship at the Center in two ways:

  • By applying directly to the Center and being chosen as part of the annual fellowship competition, or
  • By applying to participate in UNCF/Mellon Programs for tenure-track and tenured humanities professors at UNCF institutions.

Read more details about faculty eligibility and the application process.

All NHC Fellows are assigned private studies with 24-hour access to the Center’s facilities, enjoy breakfasts and lunches prepared by the Center’s kitchen staff, and receive the support of the Center’s dedicated research librarians. They may also take part in scholarly colloquia, reading groups, and social activities with other leading scholars from around the world.

“Humanities scholars at HBCUs have long been underserved when it comes to research support,” said Matthew Booker, vice president for scholarly programs at the Center. “For the past several years, with a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we have been able to support Fellows from these institutions, helped them advance their research, and welcomed their enthusiastic contributions to the Center’s intellectual community. With the culmination of that grant, the Center and its trustees felt it was imperative that we continue to support HBCU scholars. Their commitment and our partnership with the UNCF/Mellon Programs allows us to continue that important work.”

Applications for the National Humanities Center’s 2023–24 fellowship competition are being accepted until October 6, 2022. Interested scholars can apply by visiting our Become a Fellow page. The deadline to submit an application for the UNCF/Mellon Programs is January 31, 2023.

About the UNCF/Mellon Programs

The UNCF/Mellon Programs were created in 1989 with a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Programs are designed to create faculty career enhancement opportunities for faculty teaching at UNCF institutions.

About the National Humanities Center

The National Humanities Center is the world’s only independent institute dedicated exclusively to advanced study in all areas of the humanities. Through its residential fellowship program, the Center provides scholars with the resources necessary to generate new knowledge and to further understanding of all forms of cultural expression, social interaction, and human thought. Through its education programs, the Center strengthens teaching on the collegiate and pre-collegiate levels. Through public engagement intimately linked to its scholarly and educational programs, the Center promotes understanding of the humanities and advocates for their foundational role in a democratic society.

Contact

Don Solomon
Director of Communications
919.406.0120