Division of Research Programs

For more information about the
Division of Research Programs:
(202) 606-8200

The Division of Research supports advanced humanities research by making grants to scholars, teachers and writers, and to educational and research organizations. These grants support individuals and collaborative teams of scholars and researchers in exploring archives, interpreting humanities texts and materials, developing and using digital tools, discovering new knowledge or rediscovering truths. The Division of Research also supports the humanities by commissioning studies on the state of the humanities to assess Americans’ engagement with the humanities and monitor trends within individual fields of study. 

The projects that the division supports are as diverse as America itself: editions of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a book on the history of “The Star Spangled Banner,” and the autobiography of Mark Twain. Teachers and media makers rely on new research findings in many fields—history, literature, music, the history of science and technology—to educate, inform, and inspire their audiences. Research projects add to the existing store of knowledge and reach all Americans.

 

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Featured Content

Dia de los Muertos Altar Scene

Celebrating Día de los Muertos: Humanities Research on Mexican History, Literature, and Culture

The Day of the Dead (or, in Spanish, Día de los Muertos) is a commemorative holiday observed annually on November 1 and 2, both in its native Mexico and among Mexican people around the world. On the Day of the Dead, celebrants honor their deceased loved ones by leaving offerings at home altars (ofrendas), writing playful poems (calaveras literarias), and wearing colorful costumes, often including the holiday’s signature skull masks (calacas). Ahead of this year’s festivities, learn about thirteen projects funded by the NEH Division of Research Programs that explore Mexican history, literature, and culture.