Underground Railroad Museum Sues Trump Administration Over Revoked Grant
An Underground Railroad museum in Albany, New York, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The legal action follows the cancellation of a $250,000 federal grant, which the museum claims was withheld due to racial discrimination.
The Underground Railroad Education Center, run by founders Mary Liz and Paul Stewart, argues the decision violates the Fifth Amendment's due process clause. The lost funding was meant to support a $12 million expansion project celebrating local abolitionist history.
The museum focuses on the pre-Civil War efforts to free enslaved people through the Underground Railroad. Its exhibits highlight the work of local abolitionists Stephen and Harriet Myers, who helped freedom seekers escape to Canada. The Stewarts purchased the Myerses' former home in Albany's historically Black Arbor Hill neighbourhood and transformed it into an educational centre.
The centre offers tours, workshops, and community programmes aimed at sharing 'empowering and uplifting stories' about the region's role in the Underground Railroad. The Stewarts first uncovered the Myerses' legacy while researching Albany's history for a school lesson.
In 2017, the museum secured a $250,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This funding was critical, as it helped unlock broader fundraising for the planned expansion. However, the grant was later revoked—a decision the museum attributes to systemic targeting of Black history projects under President Trump's executive order on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The lawsuit points to multiple cases where museums and cultural centres focused on Black history lost NEH funding. While no comprehensive public data exists on the total number of affected institutions, the pattern has raised concerns about bias in grant allocations.
The museum is now seeking reinstatement of the $250,000 grant to move forward with its expansion. Without the funds, the project's future remains uncertain. The case also raises broader questions about how federal grants are awarded to institutions preserving Black history.
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