Date: July 19, 2011
Contact: Bill Martin, (843) 883-3123 x 11
Today, Fort Sumter National Monument was awarded a $1,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from Terence L. Mills Memorial Preservation Fund for North and South Carolina. The seed grant funds will be used to pay for the production of educational media to raise awareness of the 19th century brick making industry in Charleston.
In partnership with the Brick Education and Research Foundation, the program will take ten public school teachers on a one-day tour of historic sites around Charleston and will teach them about the historic 19th century brick-making industry, which largely relied on slave labor. In turn, the teachers will create curriculum materials with which to teach students about this cultural history. The ultimate aim of the program is to instill pride in African American students about the impressive brick buildings that still exist in Charleston, which were constructed using the bricks made by their ancestors. The tour will involve hands-on brick making at Middleton Plantation, a look into the slave experience at Drayton Hall, a tour of significant brick structures in downtown Charleston, and a brick masonry demonstration at Fort Sumter National Monument.
“Without organizations like Fort Sumter National Monument, communities and towns all across America would have a diminished sense of place,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We are honored to provide a grant to Fort Sumter National Monument, which will use the funds to help preserve an important piece of our shared heritage.”
The National Trust for Historic Preservation dispenses small grants for local projects through the National Trust Preservation Funds grant program. The grants range from $500 to $5,000 and have provided over $5.5 million dollars of funding since 2002. They are awarded to nonprofit groups, educational institutions and public agencies, and must be matched, at least dollar for dollar, with public or private funds. Preservation Funds grants are being used nationally for such wide-ranging activities as consultant services for rehabilitating buildings, technical assistance for tourism that promotes historic resources and educating children about their heritage. These grants are often the deciding factor on whether historic buildings or sites can be saved for future generations. For more information on National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Fund grants, visit www.PreservationNation.org/resources/find-funding/grants.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, nine regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories. For more information on the National Trust, visit www.PreservationNation.org.
About Fort Sumter National Monument
Fort Sumter National Monument is administered by the National Park Service. The fort is located in Charleston Harbor and is accessible only by boat. Hours of operation vary depending on the time of year. The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and Ferry Boat Facility, open daily from 8:30-5:00, is located at 340 Concord Street in Charleston. Fort Moultrie, a unit of Fort Sumter National Monument, is located at 1214 Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island. Fort Moultrie is open daily from 9:00-5:00. All sites are closed on New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. For more information, call (843) 883-3123 x 20 or visit us on the World Wide Web For more information, call (843) 883-3123.
