Museum will be recognized at Capitol Hill event

Washington,DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently announced nearly$30,000,000 in grants to museums across the nation. Ohio History Connection is receiving one of the 244 awards through the agency’s grant programs. Ohio History Connection is receiving $24,941 through the Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums for a project to connect K-12 teachers in Ohio and Oklahoma in teaching about the mid-western American Indian removal as a way to build relationships between teachers, museums, and diaspora populations.

IMLS Director Susan Hildreth will present a workshop and ceremony on Capitol Hill,on September 18, to recognize the 2013 museum winners and to highlight successful applicants and awards. The event will showcase the many ways museums support learning experiences, serve as community anchors, and are stewards of cultural and scientific heritage through the preservation of their collections.

 “IMLS recognizes three valuable roles museums have in their communities: putting the learner at the center, serving as community anchors, and serving as stewards of cultural and scientific collections,” said IMLS Director Susan Hildreth. “It is exciting to see the many ways our newly announced grants further these important museum roles. I congratulate the slate of 2013 museum grant recipients for planning projects that advance innovation in museum practice,lifelong learning, and community engagement.”

The Indian Removal presents unique challenges for teaching and learning about both Native American history and contemporary Native American life. For Native American people hoping to connect with the sites of their ancestors there is often a knowledge barrier resulting from years of displacement and the hiding of one’s heritage for fear of discrimination. For those teaching about Native American history there is a clear break in the late 1800s after the massacre at Wounded Knee where Native American history fades and the historical record becomes murky. When addressing contemporary Native American life, stereotypes still abound. To address these problems, the Ohio History Connection will implement The Oklahoma & Ohio Exchange, an innovative and collaborative project with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Ohio and Oklahoma K-12teachers. The goal is to establish protocols and models which can be translated from this project to other museum and diaspora population partnerships that hope to forge relationships with educators in diaspora populations.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Ohio History Connection
Founded in 1885, the non-profit Ohio History Connection (https://www.ohiohistory.org) provides a wide array of statewide services and programs related to collecting, preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology and natural history through its 58sites and museums across Ohio, including its flagship museum, the Ohio History Center in Columbus. For information regarding the Society, contact Shannon Thomas, Communications Specialist, Ohio History Connection: 614.297.2317,[email protected].