Delaware
Delaware 250 Announces Spring 2024 Grant Recipients – State of Delaware News
Delaware 250 is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural cycle of grants to support planning and programming for the upcoming United States Semiquincentennial Anniversary in 2026. This anniversary recognizes 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A special project of the Delaware Heritage Commission and the Delaware Public Archives, Delaware 250 seeks to reflect on and celebrate the plurality of histories within both Delaware and the nation as we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
“The 250th anniversary of our country’s independence is a significant milestone for both our state and our nation, and an opportunity to enrich our understanding of Delaware’s past, present, and future,” said Dick Carter, chair of the Delaware Heritage Commission. “Since its formation ahead of our nation’s 1976 Bicentennial, the Delaware Heritage Commission has served as a steward of Delaware’s rich history; we look forward to continuing that work as we approach this important anniversary.”
The Delaware 250 grants are intended to support museums, libraries, non-profit organizations, historic sites, heritage groups, and other such groups in developing programs or other public-facing ventures that help to commemorate the 250th anniversary for Delawareans and Delaware’s visitors. Recipients will use the funds to plan for the 250th in ways that serve and reflect their communities and organizations.
“Delaware 250 is committed to representing the many stories across this state,” said Margaret Hughes, coordinator for Delaware 250. “We are inspired by the revolutionary ideals that formed this country and to which we continue to aspire. Each in their own way, the Spring 2024 grant recipients contribute to a deeper understanding of our past.”
Recipients of the Spring 2024 Delaware 250 grants are:
- Delaware Art Museum ($25,000), for its Art and Democracy Project, which facilitates conversations across the State on how Delaware’s arts and cultural organizations can create content that reflects Delawareans’ shared history and imagines their collective future.
- The Newark Partnership ($20,000), to support the Knowing Newark series, a variety of community events showcasing Newark’s history and heritage.
- Lewes Historical Society ($15,000), to support the Society’s exhibition From Revolution to Republic: The Neill Household (1792-1803). This exhibition will curate the society’s Burton Ingram House (c. 1785) to reflect the home of Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Henry Neill, his wife Mary, and the seven enslaved people that lived and worked in this space.
- Wisdom 2 Witness ($14,976), to develop an oral history project connecting young people to community elders via stories of Delaware’s past, present, and hoped-for future.
- Greater Harrington Historical Society ($14,000), to increase access to collections for researchers and the public ahead of the Semiquincentennial through space renovation, improved archival storage, and dedicated collections management.
- Delaware Historical Society ($12,000), to create a series of “book talks” focusing on inclusive and relevant histories of the Revolutionary era through the theme “We the People.”
- Delaware Institute for Arts in Education ($10,000), to develop a series of in-school artist residencies culminating in a public dance performance and scholar’s talk. The project aims to foster deeper understanding of the American Civil Rights era and the impact of Martin Luther King’s assassination on the city of Wilmington, ideas that connect with the country’s long struggle to secure the promises of the Revolution.
- NSDAR/Lafayette Bicentennial ($7,840), to support programming for the October 2024 bicentennial commemoration of Major General Lafayette’s farewell tour. Fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, French hero of the American Revolution Lafayette returned as the “Guest of the Nation” to visit the country he helped to form.
- Milford Museum ($5,000), to produce the documentary film The Colored Balcony, centering on the history of the then-segregated Schines Theater in downtown Milford.
The grants will support outreach and engagement across the state. “The Greater Harrington Historical Society was a grateful recipient of a grant from Delaware 250,” said Doug Poore, curator. “The funds from this grant award will be used to expand our archive room, which will allow visitors and researchers greater access to our holdings, specifically genealogical documents dating back to the 1700s.”
Molly Giordano, Executive Director of the Delaware Art Museum, said, “DelArt is thrilled to receive this funding from Delaware 250 to support our 2026 exhibition and research project that will shine a light on the connection between art and democracy. As Delaware’s largest art museum, we continue to play a leading role in using art to consider our collective past and invest in our shared artistic future.”
Applications for the next round of Delaware 250 grants will open in early June, with a July 15 application deadline. For more information, contact Margaret Hughes at (302) 744-5067 or Margaret.Hughes@delaware.gov. For all 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.
Related Topics: DE250, Delaware 250, Delaware Heritage Commission, Delaware Public Archives, grants
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
Delaware 250 is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural cycle of grants to support planning and programming for the upcoming United States Semiquincentennial Anniversary in 2026. This anniversary recognizes 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A special project of the Delaware Heritage Commission and the Delaware Public Archives, Delaware 250 seeks to reflect on and celebrate the plurality of histories within both Delaware and the nation as we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
“The 250th anniversary of our country’s independence is a significant milestone for both our state and our nation, and an opportunity to enrich our understanding of Delaware’s past, present, and future,” said Dick Carter, chair of the Delaware Heritage Commission. “Since its formation ahead of our nation’s 1976 Bicentennial, the Delaware Heritage Commission has served as a steward of Delaware’s rich history; we look forward to continuing that work as we approach this important anniversary.”
The Delaware 250 grants are intended to support museums, libraries, non-profit organizations, historic sites, heritage groups, and other such groups in developing programs or other public-facing ventures that help to commemorate the 250th anniversary for Delawareans and Delaware’s visitors. Recipients will use the funds to plan for the 250th in ways that serve and reflect their communities and organizations.
“Delaware 250 is committed to representing the many stories across this state,” said Margaret Hughes, coordinator for Delaware 250. “We are inspired by the revolutionary ideals that formed this country and to which we continue to aspire. Each in their own way, the Spring 2024 grant recipients contribute to a deeper understanding of our past.”
Recipients of the Spring 2024 Delaware 250 grants are:
- Delaware Art Museum ($25,000), for its Art and Democracy Project, which facilitates conversations across the State on how Delaware’s arts and cultural organizations can create content that reflects Delawareans’ shared history and imagines their collective future.
- The Newark Partnership ($20,000), to support the Knowing Newark series, a variety of community events showcasing Newark’s history and heritage.
- Lewes Historical Society ($15,000), to support the Society’s exhibition From Revolution to Republic: The Neill Household (1792-1803). This exhibition will curate the society’s Burton Ingram House (c. 1785) to reflect the home of Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Henry Neill, his wife Mary, and the seven enslaved people that lived and worked in this space.
- Wisdom 2 Witness ($14,976), to develop an oral history project connecting young people to community elders via stories of Delaware’s past, present, and hoped-for future.
- Greater Harrington Historical Society ($14,000), to increase access to collections for researchers and the public ahead of the Semiquincentennial through space renovation, improved archival storage, and dedicated collections management.
- Delaware Historical Society ($12,000), to create a series of “book talks” focusing on inclusive and relevant histories of the Revolutionary era through the theme “We the People.”
- Delaware Institute for Arts in Education ($10,000), to develop a series of in-school artist residencies culminating in a public dance performance and scholar’s talk. The project aims to foster deeper understanding of the American Civil Rights era and the impact of Martin Luther King’s assassination on the city of Wilmington, ideas that connect with the country’s long struggle to secure the promises of the Revolution.
- NSDAR/Lafayette Bicentennial ($7,840), to support programming for the October 2024 bicentennial commemoration of Major General Lafayette’s farewell tour. Fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, French hero of the American Revolution Lafayette returned as the “Guest of the Nation” to visit the country he helped to form.
- Milford Museum ($5,000), to produce the documentary film The Colored Balcony, centering on the history of the then-segregated Schines Theater in downtown Milford.
The grants will support outreach and engagement across the state. “The Greater Harrington Historical Society was a grateful recipient of a grant from Delaware 250,” said Doug Poore, curator. “The funds from this grant award will be used to expand our archive room, which will allow visitors and researchers greater access to our holdings, specifically genealogical documents dating back to the 1700s.”
Molly Giordano, Executive Director of the Delaware Art Museum, said, “DelArt is thrilled to receive this funding from Delaware 250 to support our 2026 exhibition and research project that will shine a light on the connection between art and democracy. As Delaware’s largest art museum, we continue to play a leading role in using art to consider our collective past and invest in our shared artistic future.”
Applications for the next round of Delaware 250 grants will open in early June, with a July 15 application deadline. For more information, contact Margaret Hughes at (302) 744-5067 or Margaret.Hughes@delaware.gov. For all 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.
Related Topics: DE250, Delaware 250, Delaware Heritage Commission, Delaware Public Archives, grants
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
This story was produced by Spotlight Delaware as part of a partnership with Delaware Online/The News Journal. For more about Spotlight Delaware, visit www.spotlightdelaware.org.
A Delaware law passed last year in the wake of escalating assaults on the state’s corporate brand shielded powerful company leaders from facing certain lawsuits brought by smaller investors.
What it didn’t do was violate the Delaware Constitution, the state Supreme Court ruled on Friday, Feb. 27.
More than three months after hearing arguments, the justices ruled that the corporate law reform – known as Senate Bill 21 – did not strip Delaware’s prominent Court of Chancery of its constitutional authority to decide when a business deal is fair.
“The General Assembly’s enactment of SB 21 falls within the ‘broad and ample sweep’ of its legislative power,” the justices stated.
The ruling ends a bruising fight in Delaware over when the state’s business court should allow small-time investors to interrogate insider deals struck within companies by founders or other business leaders.
The ruling also averts what could have been an embarrassment for the state’s legal and political establishment had the high court overturned the law.
More than a year ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk — the world’s richest person — was calling on business leaders to move their companies’ legal homes out of Delaware. Musk had launched the campaign, which became known as “DExit,” after a Delaware Chancery Court judge ruled that he could not accept a multibillion-dollar pay package from Tesla.
Just as the campaign appeared to be gaining a foothold, Gov. Matt Meyer, legislative leaders, and Delaware attorneys who represent corporations threw their collective heft behind SB 21.
They argued then that the legislation amounted to a “course correction” that would bring the state’s business courts back into alignment with rulings from a decade ago. Many also said the bill was needed to pacify executives who were considering following Musk’s calls to move their companies’ legal homes out of Delaware.
In response, a cadre of critics — which included national law professors, pension fund attorneys, and a handful of progressives within the Delaware legislature — derided SB 21 as a “billionaires bill.”
Some also argued that the legislation was the latest in a string of recent changes to Delaware corporate law that have shifted the state away from protecting shareholder rights and toward giving greater deference to powerful executives.
Meyer and others SB 21 supporters rejected those characterizations last year. And on Friday, he celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling.
In a statement, he said the decision affirms that “Delaware is the gold standard locale for global companies to do business.” He also stated that the number of companies that maintain their legal home in Delaware had increased throughout 2025 despite the DExit campaign.
“In short, SB 21 is working, and I’m glad it will continue to be the law,” Meyer said.
The legal arguments for SB 21
When arguing against SB 21 in front of the Supreme Court last fall, one attorney asserted that the new law removed the Chancery Court’s time-honored and constitutional duty to say what is fair – or equitable – in a business dispute.
The attorney, Gregory Varallo, argued that by removing a shareholders’ ability to sue their company, the law reduced what he described as the immutable power of the Court of Chancery to oversee a “complete system of equity.”
During his arguments, Varallo also offered the justices an unusual acknowledgement, stating that he knew that his stance was unpopular — and that he understood “well the pressures on this court.”
The comments were a likely reference to the consensus of big business groups and the state’s political establishment that believed SB 21 was necessary for Delaware to remain the world’s preeminent corporate domicile.
Following Varallo, Washington, D.C.-based attorney Jonathan C. Bond defended SB 21, in part, by characterizing his opponents arguments as unprecedented. If adopted, he said they would imperil several existing Delaware laws that go back decades.
He also argued that changing the rules of corporate law – as SB 21 did – “is the same as wiping out jurisdiction merely because it makes some plaintiff’s claims harder.”
Also arguing in favor of SB 21 during the hearing was William Savitt, an attorney with the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz – among the most prominent corporate law firms in the country.
Last spring, Meyer hired Savitt’s firm to represent the state in the legal defense of SB 21 for a budget rate of $100,000. By comparison, Wachtell Lipton charged Twitter $90 million in 2022 to ferry that company through its arduous, four-month-long acquisition by Elon Musk.
Wachtell’s client list also includes Mark Zuckerberg and other Meta executives and board members, who last summer settled a seven-year-long, multibillion-dollar shareholder lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court.
During his arguments on SB 21, Savitt said equity as determined by judges must follow the statutes created by the legislature, and “not displace the law.”
“No natural reading of the words (of the Delaware Constitution) support plaintiff’s position,” he said.
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What to do if you come across a serious car accident
Here is some information about what to do if you come across a serious car accident.
State police identified 29-year-old Brian Silva of New Castle as the victim of a fatal motorcycle crash in Wilmington.
Silva was riding a Harley-Davidson northbound on Dupont Highway approaching Millside Drive in Wilmington around 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 when it collided with the rear of a stopped Lexus at that intersection, police said. Silva was ejected from the motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Delaware State Police are still investigating this incident, and anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to them or to Delaware Crime Stoppers.
Ever seen a spring peeper peep?
A spring peeper singing in the Millsboro area.
Meteorological winter has ended and we’ve entered spring.
However, there’s still a last winter blast hitting Delaware early this week before a spring warm up hits at the end of the week.
Here’s a look at the Delaware forecast.
Will Delaware see more snow?
After a brisk Monday, March 2 with sunny skies and highs only reaching 35 degrees, there’s a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 with freezing rain after 4 a.m. in New Castle County. Snow and freezing rain are expected before noon Tuesday, March 3. The county may receive less than a half inch of accumulation.
In Kent County and Sussex County, there’s a chance of snow and freezing rain after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.
When will it warm up in Delaware?
It will start feeling like spring as warmer air moves into the First State on Tuesday evening, March 3, but wet weather is coming as well.
Rain is predicted from Tuesday, March 3 through Friday, March 5, but spring-like temperatures will make it bearable. In New Castle County temperatures will range from the mid-50s on Wednesday, March 3 to the 60s on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. Kent County should see temperatures in the 60s and Sussex County will see 70s during the mid- to later part of the week
What’s the weekend forecast?
Remember when you were daydreaming about warm weather during the polar vortex or blizzard? Well, it is coming next weekend.
The forecast is calling for sunny to partly sunny skies throughout Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Highs will reach the upper 60s in the north to the low 70s in the south.
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