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.
The Hagley Museum and Library houses a collection of patent models
The Hagley Museum and Library houses the nation’s second-largest collection of patent models, many of which the public never gets to see.
For most, 41 years of service is more than enough. For State Librarian Annie Norman, though, even retirement can’t slow her down.
“The work is never done; there’s always something to do,” she said. “I’m going to have to continue to help in other ways.”
Norman will step away this fall after 24 years as the Delaware state librarian and director of the Delaware Division of Libraries.
Throughout her tenure, Norman made waves; the director helped create the Delaware Library Consortium, which allowed all of Delaware’s Public libraries to share items, and brought the library system along during a wave of technological change. For these achievements, she was named to the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and appointed by President Joe Biden as a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board.
We spoke with Norman as she wraps up an accomplished career about her proudest achievements, and the state of libraries in 2026.
Question: As you look back on your tenure, what was your proudest accomplishment?
Answer: What I’ll be known for more than anything is probably the statewide library catalog and consortium. The politics of bringing all of those libraries together, after years of there being four separate library catalogs in Delaware, took about eight years. More recently, I think bringing the school libraries into that catalog is going to be really significant. We’ve got more than 50 school libraries to be a part of the statewide catalog, something we think can really help with the literacy crisis in this state.
One of the biggest challenges of your tenure was adjusting to the large wave of technology that came about. How have you and the Delaware libraries handled it?
It’s been very systematic. We have a great IT team that helps manage for us, as well as the state funding 100% of library technologies. The growth of the iPhone has certainly had a huge impact on literacy, but we’re really just working hard to bring back the excitement of reading.
The Delaware libraries’ programming have always been a popular resource. How important do you view these offerings to local communities, and will they continue to expand?
Yes, libraries are about enrichment, which means helping support people in things like entrepreneurship, education and innovation. We’ve had libraries start up job centers, which were so successful we could expand to entrepreneurship, and even help with more basic social needs, by starting a “social innovation team” to help with more of the social services-type work.
Where we still struggle is we can only help people access Delaware systems to help with their needs, not fix things within those systems. For that reason, we always encourage these systems to work with us, so the Delaware library system can fit everyone’s needs.
Cuts toward libraries just occurred in New Castle County, with the potential for more to come. How will the library system look to stay afloat?
Because of the economy, because of federal changes, things can get difficult, it’s not the first time we’ve experienced budget cuts. We’ve progressed significantly over the years, but there is much more work to do, and I don’t know that the public understands how critical libraries and librarians are to literacy.
The power of walking into a library and being able to choose what you want to read for a child is powerful, and until people understand that, we can’t achieve our literacy goals.
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at apdenn@delawareonline.com.
Inspiration
Do you have a suggestion for our Inspiration page? E-mail Tammy Paolino at tpaolino@usatodayco.com
DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — People in Delaware County said it feels like new housing developments are popping up on every corner.
WSYX
“What haven’t you noticed, right? The whole area just exploded,” said Scott Shonebarger.
Scott Sanders, the executive director of the Regional Planning Commission, said companies like Intel and other industries are a main driver for thousands of people moving to Delaware County.
With the big boom comes an urgent need for more housing.
John Wicks is the developer at Real Property Design and Development.
He has spent over a decade building homes for families in Delaware County.
Wicks said the Olentangy School District is one of the hottest spots for new homes.
“I started with one high school up until the 90s, then now we’re up to four up to five different high schools so it’s just a big draw,” said Wicks. “It’s a beautiful community.”
The district has grown into the fourth largest in Ohio with a new elementary school opening next year, and a fifth high school in 2028.
Wicks said the growth has presented some challenges over the years like labor shortage and some opposition.
“It’s become a big issue for a lot of people that live in and around these areas. They tend to oppose new growth and new development, so restrictions have gotten a little bit harder. Costs have obviously gone up over the last 20 years,” said Wicks.
The planning commission says between 275,000 and 350,000 people could call Delaware County home by 2040.
That’s up from 214,000 in 2020.
Scott Shonebarger said he supports growth but wonders when is enough.
“I mean to a certain extent I think you know at some point right you have to have some sort of boundaries I think, getting into the fact that now you have five high schools,” said Shonebarger. “What’s the limit?”
Police in Wilmington, Delaware, shot and killed a 19-year-old man Wednesday night.
The incident happened in a residential area near 24th and Jessup streets just after 11 p.m., Wilmington police said in a news release. The person who was shot has not been publicly identified.
Officers were monitoring a large crowd gathered outside when they saw a man exit a home with a handgun and point it toward the crowd, police say.
When officers approached the man, he ran away and a foot pursuit began, police say.
At some point in the chase, an officer fired their weapon and hit the 19-year-old. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
Police say they recovered a loaded gun from the man and that the officer was not injured.
Video filmed at the scene shows a crowd of residents gathered outside after the shooting.
Police are asking anyone with more information to come forward. The shooting is under investigation by the Delaware Department of Justice and Wilmington police.
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