Library of Virginia receives NEH grant to support digitization of Revolutionary-era newspapers
RICHMOND, Va. - The Library of Virginia Foundation has received a $296,029 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support the Library of Virginia’s digitization of historical newspapers. The award is part of $41.4 million in NEH grants announced recently for 81 humanities projects nationwide.
Awarded through the National Digital Newspaper Program, the grant will fund the digitization of 100,000 pages of historical imprint newspapers dating from 1774 to 1963, sourced from both microfilm and original hard copy. The two-year project will focus on additional coverage of early American newspapers, expanded coverage for newspapers previously digitized for the Chronicling America collection and coverage for a currently unrepresented geographic area of the state.
The Library of Virginia has contributed approximately 750,000 pages to this program to date.
"This grant allows the Library of Virginia to continue an essential piece of our mission — preserving the record of Virginia's past and making it accessible to the public," said Librarian of Virginia Dennis T. Clark. "Historical newspapers are among our richest primary sources, capturing the everyday life, events and voices of Virginians. We're grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities for its continued support of this work, and we look forward to expanding access to these materials for all who want to explore and connect with this important history."
The newspapers selected for the 2026–2028 cycle span a wide range of pivotal international and national historical topics, including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, westward expansion, the growing sectional crisis in the United States, Prohibition, the Great Depression, World War II and the Civil Rights Movement, among many others. In addition to reporting on events at the global, national and state levels, these newspapers provide rich coverage of locally relevant topics through local news reporting, birth, graduation, marriage and death announcements, government and business coverage, editorials, classifieds and advertisements. Collectively, these elements make the selected newspapers invaluable historical resources for authors, educators, students, historians and genealogists. The proposed newspapers also have tremendous potential to assist vital NEH initiatives like A More Perfect Union, which seeks to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation.
“The Library of Virginia Foundation is grateful for this significant investment from the NEH in support of the Library of Virginia’s work to preserve our history and make it accessible for the next 250 years and beyond,” said Library of Virginia Foundation Executive Director Scott Dodson. “We look forward to helping bring the many voices that have chronicled American history to life through the digitization of Virginia’s newspapers.”
ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA AND FOUNDATION
The Library of Virginia is the leading source of information on Virginia’s history, government and people. The Library’s collections, containing more than 134 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. Our online resources draw nearly 2 million website visits per year, and our on-site records, exhibitions and events bring in thousands of visitors annually. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.
The Library of Virginia Foundation supports the Library of Virginia and its mission by raising private financial support, managing its endowment, and helping to bring Virginia’s history and culture to life. Learn more at www.lvafoundation.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH)
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.
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