60 Years of NEH-Funded Projects
Created on September 29, 1965, by an act of Congress that states “Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens,” the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) this year celebrates 60 years of advancing history, literature, philosophy, languages, and other humanities fields.
Over the last six decades NEH has supported research, public programs, education, and preservation in the humanities. NEH grantees have preserved endangered languages and shown the history of the civil rights struggle through film. They have digitized America’s historical newspapers and discovered what life was like for early colonists in Jamestown.
NEH grants help open a window onto our history and our future. Here are a selection of NEH-funded projects that have shaped what we know about ourselves and our world.
Explore Our Featured Projects
On July 4, 2026, the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
This historic milestone is an opportunity for Americans to reflect on the nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, celebrate the nation’s rich cultural heritage, and look toward its next 250 years.
Over the past six decades the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has provided funding to make possible a wide range of resources and research endeavors that educate and shed new light on the nation's founding and the events, individuals, and ideals that shaped the United States.
Browse a selection of NEH-supported projects related to the Semiquincentennial and 250 years of American history. And visit A More Perfect Union to learn about NEH's special initiative to fund research, education, preservation, and public programs projects around America's 250th anniversary.
