Launched in 2014 with the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Mellon Scholars Program supports emerging scholars interested in African American history by providing collections-based research and professional development workshops. The program culminates with our annual Juneteenth Symposium, providing scholars with the opportunity to meet the foremost scholars and historians in the field.

Specifically, the program aims to:

• Encourage talented undergraduates and those persons dedicated to the study of early African American history to pursue careers in history, library science, and museum studies
• Strengthen the preparation and archival skills of graduate students from these groups for their independent research
• Provide an experience and tangible skills that will enhance their competitiveness when they apply to graduate schools or when seeking funding and jobs

Participants will complete an independent research project using the Library Company’s African American History collections and publish a blog post about their research. Blog posts by past participants may be viewed here.