A Watkins Museum of History project on the Underground Railroad was completed before the federal grant funding it was terminated, and the Lawrence community has helped the museum recoup the $13,000 that the feds didn’t disburse.
With the $50,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services — awarded in 2022 — the museum developed online learning resources on the history of the Underground Railroad for teachers to use in K-12 classrooms.
But President Trump in March issued an executive order demanding that IMLS be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law,” leaving many grants up in the air.
The Watkins Museum was officially notified in April that the grant had been terminated, told that it was “no longer consistent with the agency’s priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS Program.”
The museum launched a GoFundMe campaign that “generated an inspiring display of community support,” according to a news release from the museum on Thursday. Almost 40 people donated through the website, museum members sent checks, and by the end of May, “the museum reached its fundraising goal when a long-time supporter donated the remaining $6,000,” according to the release.
“With the goodwill and generosity of its community, the Watkins has maintained the momentum of its public service and educational programming, and demonstrated that teaching about the Underground Railroad and other aspects of local history does, in fact, serve the interests of our public and all Americans,” according to the release.
The teaching resources, including a graphic novel developed by Lawrence High School student Maya Amen, can be found at watkinsmuseum.org/schools.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
