The City of Gaithersburg announced that it received $50,000 in funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund– a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This funding will support the research, development, and fabrication of historical marker signage for the historic Black community of Metropolitan Grove as part of the Gaithersburg History Project.
“We are so excited that the National Trust for Historic Preservation saw the same critical need for this work that we do,” said Cynthia Cowan, Gaithersburg Community Museum Facility Manager. “These funds will allow us to preserve and celebrate the rich history of Metropolitan Grove, honoring its memory while those who keep its stories are still here to share them.”
“The National Grant Program represents the Action Fund’s enduring commitment to telling the full American story – one that makes room for Black resilience, creativity, and achievement,” said Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “History is crucial to our nation’s understanding of where we’ve come from, who we are today, and how we envision our future. These grants will support critical preservation efforts to revitalize and sustain tangible links to our shared past that we hope will inspire future generations.”
Per the City of Gaithersburg: The informational marker will share a basic history of Metropolitan Grove and provide a link to information about the Gaithersburg History Project and a more in-depth history of the neighborhood, video clips from community members’ oral histories, an interactive map of the neighborhood, and associated archival records.
To better understand and represent the history of the diverse cultural groups that make up Gaithersburg, the Community Museum launched the Gaithersburg History Project in effort to research and record important community stories – contributions, challenges, dreams, and everyday life – essential to sharing a fuller history of the City. Learn more about the project here.
The City of Gaithersburg is one of 30 sites to receive a total of $3 million in grant funding to advance ongoing preservation activities for historic sites, buildings, and landscapes that represent Black cultural heritage. With more than $140 million raised, the Action Fund is the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places. Learn more about this program and this year’s grant recipients here.
