How and where would you dispense $10,000; $100,000; $1,000,000; and $10,000,000 to have maximum impact for public history?
$10,000
$3,000 grants to three people of color from low-income neighborhoods.
These individuals collect the stories of their neighbors, to be uploaded to a shared and collaboratively moderated site/database.
The remaining $1,000 would fund a community exhibition and event.
$100,000
$30,000 grants to three grassroots organizations (cultural and social service).
The organizations collect the stories of their constituents, to be uploaded to a shared and collaboratively moderated site/database.
The remaining $10,000 would fund a community exhibition and event.
$1,000,000
$200,000 endowments to five grassroots organizations (cultural and social service).
The organizations engage in the ongoing collection of the stories of their constituents, to be uploaded to a shared and collaboratively moderated site/database.
$200,000 would generate $10,000 of general operating support per year (given a 5% return rate).
This amount would be enough to provide some continued stability and cash flow for small nonprofits.
$10,000,000
Start a foundation.
Ten million dollars would generate $500,000 of general operating support per year (given a 5% return rate).
Grant five $50,000 scholarships for low-income, first generation public history students of color.
Grant five $50,000 fellowships for faculty of color.
This guarantees infiltration of the white, middle-class "profession" is both bottom-up and top-down.
100% of the SBD rewards from this #explore1918 post will support the Philadelphia History Initiative @phillyhistory. This crypto-experiment is part of a graduate course at Temple University's Center for Public History and is exploring history and empowering education to endow meaning. To learn more click here.