By Cam Boudreau
The Massachusetts 250 Grant Program, an initiative inspired by the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and administered by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, recently awarded $2 million in grants to organizations to fund Revolution Era projects.
The Nipmuc Indian Development Corporation (NIDC) won a $60,000 grant for its proposed project: The Hidden Census: Data as Resistance – Visualizing the Presence of Black and Nipmuc People During the Revolutionary Era in Central Massachusetts.
The co-founder of the NIDC and the Sonksq of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, Cheryll Toney Holley, said that she was caught off-guard by the grant win.
“Well, we didn’t think we would get it,” said Holley. “We are two small indigenous groups, so we were kind of surprised, but happy.”
Holley and Robin Giguere formed the NIDC in 1999 to provide economic relief for Nipmuc groups.
“It’s the vehicle we use to obtain grant money,” Holley said. “The NIDC fiscally sponsors the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band and other Nipmuc groups who are looking for grant money but don’t have a 501(c)(3).”
The upcoming Hidden Census project sheds light on those who were forgotten, or erased, by history.
“The Hidden Census project is a community-oriented, public history, and education initiative,” Holley said. “It explores how black people and Nipmuc people in Central Massachusetts were erased in Revolutionary Era records.”
Essentially, the project will be a multifaceted educational experience with many different pieces, including:
- A traveling exhibit visiting schools, libraries, tribal spaces, and cultural centers
- A digital platform accessible to the public with archived data, interactive stories
- Community-created zines and interactive content
- Audio reflections and visualized data
More Details:
https://www.thegraftonnews.com/nidc-wins-60000-grant-as-part-of-250th-anniversary-of-the-american-revolution/
