By Eric Waggoner, West Virginia Humanities Council
The West Virginia Encyclopedia Online? Deleted from the internet.
The West Virginia Folklife Program’s preservation of our unique traditions and culture? Gone.
Hundreds of annual History Alive! presentations to schools, libraries, churches, and community centers across West Virginia? Canceled.
Last week, the Department of Government Efficiency targeted the National Endowment for the Humanities with devastating funding cuts, putting West Virginia’s rich history, cultural tourism, and community programs at immediate risk. These cuts will pull nearly a million dollars per year in Congressionally approved federal funding out of West Virginia, directly affecting historical societies, museums, festivals and organizations that work tirelessly to preserve and share the enthralling story of our Mountain State.
In our role as the NEH’s official state affiliate, the West Virginia Humanities Council, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, has delivered NEH funding throughout West Virginia since 1974, providing programs and giving grants to organizations and initiatives that celebrate our cultural heritage. These efforts ensure that West Virginia’s history and culture remain alive and accessible for future generations.
