The Chicago Public Library (CPL) has announced a $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation in support of the Renaissance Project, which provides access to Black history-related archives across the city’s library branches.

Awarded to the Chicago Public Library Foundation, the funding will enable the library to digitize and process critical documents related to Black history from the 1800s to the present, bring high-quality research materials and holistic programming to every branch, and support the learning of Black history for K-12 students across Illinois. As part of the multiyear initiative, CPL also will partner with educators connected to the Illinois State Board of Education’s Inclusive American History Commission (IAHC) to create open-source curricula and tools that inform teaching of Black history in public secondary and postsecondary schools.

“Our African American stories and histories are our country's story,” said CPL commissioner Chris Brown. “If these stories are not accessible, generations miss the chance to connect with who we are as a country. Mellon’s grant will do just that, connecting generations and international audiences with African American histories.”

(Photo credit: Ken Lund via Wikipedia, Creative Commons ShareAlike 2.0)