FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Delaware 250 Announces Summer 2024 Grant Recipients

September 9, 2024

DOVER, Delaware – Delaware 250 is pleased to announce the recipients of its summer cycle of grants. These grants, which support planning and programming for the upcoming United States Semiquincentennial in 2026, represent dynamic initiatives from across the state. The awarded projects offer Delawareans new and engaging ways of exploring the state’s history in the lead-up to the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“Preserving history is essential to understanding both where we’ve been and where we can go,” said Dick Carter, chair of the Delaware Heritage Commission. “The 250^th anniversary of our nation’s independence offers all Delawareans a chance to reflect on our past, and to gain a deeper understanding of the First State.”

The Delaware 250 grants support museums, libraries, non-profit organizations, historic sites, heritage groups, and other such groups in developing programs and public-facing ventures that help to commemorate the 250^th anniversary for Delawareans and Delaware’s visitors. This is Delaware 250’s second round of grant funding.

“Delaware 250 aims to reflect on and celebrate the plurality of histories in both Delaware and the nation,” said Margaret Hughes, Delaware 250 coordinator. “Each of these awarded projects adds an important and meaningful dimension to our state’s recognition of this milestone anniversary.”

Recipients of the Summer 2024 Delaware 250 grants are:

• City of Wilmington ($10,000), to conduct new documentary research on Caesar Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the fourth president of Delaware who was also an enslaver. The resulting report will aid in development of draft interpretive panels and will serve as a model for community conversations around understanding and interpreting the full and sometimes contradictory histories of leaders in the Revolutionary period and early America.
• Friends of Cooch’s Bridge ($10,000), to support the recording and distribution of two original musical commissions, “Cooch’s Bridge: The African American Presence” and “Cooch’s Bridge: The Battle.” These works, by composer Jonathan W. Whitney, interpret the diverse histories of Delaware’s only Revolutionary War battlefield through an artist’s lens.
• Wilmington Children’s Chorus ($10,000), for the creation of American Harmony, a year-long program empowering 150 youth and teaching them about African American history through song. The program will include weekly rehearsals, three public concerts, and the premiere of a new commissioned work for choir and orchestra.
• La Plaza Delaware ($8,000), for the creation of a 15-minute documentary featuring the stories of four families from Sussex County’s evolving Latino community.
• New Castle Historical Society ($7,250), for research and installation related to Historic Benchmarks, a new public history program. The program, a collaboration with the National Park Service’s First State Historical Park, encourages the public to learn about New Castle’s history while enjoying the city’s outdoor recreation areas in Battery Park and other locations throughout the historic district.
• Peter Spencer Family Life Foundation ($5,000), to support the Heritage Hallway Renovation Project, a large-scale undertaking that includes a renovated museum space, interpretation, and building updates. The museum exhibit space explores the African American contributions to Delaware’s history through the lens of the independent Black church movement and its founding minister and groundbreaking civil rights activist Peter Spencer.
• Newark Union Church & Cemetery ($3,500), for grounds enhancement and repair to make the historic site, which includes the gravesites of veterans from the American Revolution and other wars, visitor ready for 2026.
• Friends of Belmont Hall ($3,200), to support Belmont Hall’s second annual Revolutionary War Day event.
• TELEDUCTION ($2,850), in partnership with Delaware Public Libraries, for the digitization of previously made films about Delaware’s history, in order to make the films more readily available via updated technology.

The grants, awarded to organizations across the state and in all three counties, will support outreach and engagement ahead of the Semiquincentennial. “A big part of what we do at La Plaza is to help the larger community in Sussex County and the state to understand and appreciate their good fortune by having a growing Latino community in their midst,” said Mary Dupont, executive director of La Plaza. “We hope that this grant will enable us to shine a light on who [the Latino community is], what they believe in and how they have built a thriving community here in Sussex County and Delaware.”

Debra Campagnari Martin, Historical Preservation Planner for the City of Wilmington, said, “The celebration of independence and democracy is an invitation to examine the heroic stories we have been telling for 250 years, and make sure they are as whole, contextualized, and authentic as we can present them. Caesar Rodney’s commendable life of service was enabled by inherited wealth and supported by the system of chattel slavery… The goal of this project is to craft a fuller, factual story of Caesar Rodney and the people who made his contributions possible.”

“The Friends of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site is honored to receive such a generous grant from Delaware 250,” said Vince Watchorn, president of Friends of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site. “The recordings will help a vastly expanded audience to celebrate the US Semiquincentennial by learning important Delaware narratives through [composer Jonathan W.] Whitney’s dynamic, reflective musical spirit.”

Applications for the next round of Delaware 250 grants are now open, with an October 15 application deadline. Visit de.gov/250 to view the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

For press inquiries about Delaware 250, please contact Katie Pierce at (302) 744-5076 or Catherine.Pierce@delaware.gov.

About Delaware Heritage Commission

Created in 1972 as the Delaware American Revolution Bicentennial Commission to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution in 1776, the Delaware Heritage Commission became one of the principal agencies for the celebration of Delaware history. The celebration of the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution in 1987, the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights, the 500th anniversary of Columbus “Finding the Americas,” the 75th anniversary of the American Revolution Battle of Cooch’s Bridge, were led by the Heritage Commission. Our mission is to celebrate the history and heritage of Delaware. Since 1993, the Commission has sponsored Delaware Book Fair and Authors Day. From the publications of books about Delaware history to the institution of two summer history camp programs for boys and girls, we engage in everything to accomplish our goals. The Commission offers Challenge Grants and McKinstry Awards for people studying First State history. The Heritage Commission works with sister agencies within the Delaware Department of State (museums, archives, veterans, arts) to fulfill that mission.

About Delaware Public Archives

As the repository for records of Delaware state and local governments, the Delaware Public Archives contains millions of documents and other materials that can help with researching one’s genealogical roots and conduct historical research. Among these records are census materials, vital statistics including birth, death, and marriage records; tax assessments, probate/estate records, land deeds, and military records.

The Delaware Public Archives also preserves a large amount of genealogically related materials that were of private origin. These records include family histories, bible records, church records, manuscript genealogies, and newspapers.

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