Sumter County Cultural Commission Receives Major NEH Grant

SC Humanities would like to congratulate the Sumter County Cultural Commission for receiving a $75,000 "Picturing America" Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant will support two teacher conferences in August 2010, including one for high school teachers on August 9 – 10 and one for middle school teachers on August 11 – 12, 2010. The two conferences will each accommodate 25 teachers and are titled "Out of the South: The African American Migration."

The Sumter County Cultural Commission will partner with the Sumter County African American Cultural Society, the Sumter County Library, and the Sumter County Little Theatre to produce these exciting institutes.

The two two-day conferences will explore the great migration of African Americans from the south to northern cities through the magnificent paintings of African American artist Jacob Lawrence. The institutes will be directed by Dr. Mark David, Chair of Humanities and Religion at Morris College in Sumter, SC.

Teachers whose schools are recipients of the Picturing America Poster Series from the National Endowment for the Humanities are eligible to attend. (If you are unsure about your school's receipt of the poster series, you can visit the official website: http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/public_awards.php.) Participating teachers will receive $300, books, materials, and resources. Teachers will also receive tickets to attend two pre-conference events: August Wilson's play, Joe Turner's Come and Gone on July 29th and a Traveling Trunk Exhibit and reception on August 8th.

Teacher applications to attend the Picturing America Teacher's Conference can be downloaded from the Sumter County Government website: http://www.sumtercountysc.org/departments/cultural.htm and are due at the Sumter County Cultural Commission office by Friday, June 18, 2010.

To learn more, please contact Booth Chilcutt at the Sumter County Cultural Commission at 803-436-2260.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.

Image Credit: Jacob Lawrence, The Migration of the Negro Panel no. 57, 1940–1941, Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000), The Migration of the Negro Panel no. 57, 1940–1941. Casein tempera on hardboard, 18 x 12 in. (45.72 x 30.48 cm.). Acquired 1942. The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. Art © 2008 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.