The Program in Early American Economy & Society (PEAES) at the Library Company of Philadelphia awards long-term postdoctoral and dissertation research fellowships as well as short-term fellowships that support scholarship in early American economy and society, broadly defined, from its colonial beginnings to the 1850s.

The fellowships provide scholars the opportunity to investigate such topics as Atlantic and global connections of the American economy; its commerce, finance, business, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, internal development, or political economy; the history of race and the economy, capitalism, households, or gendered economies.

Applicants may submit proposals to conduct research based not only on the Library Company’s extensive collections but also on the printed and manuscript holdings of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and other area repositories. Fellows must reside in the Philadelphia area for the duration of the fellowship.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The stipend for PEAES Postdoctoral Fellowships is $50,000 for the academic year (September 1 to May 31) or $25,000 for the fall or spring semester (September 1 to January 15 or January 15 to May 31). Both senior scholars and early-career scholars are welcome to apply.

Dissertation fellowships

The PEAES Dissertation Fellowship carries a stipend of $25,000 for the academic year (September 1 to May 31) or $12,500 for the fall or spring semester (September 1 to January 15 or January 15 to May 31).

Short-term fellowships

PEAES Short-Term Fellowships carry a stipend of $2,500 for a one-month period between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024.