President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act on September 29, 1965. It created the National Endowment for the Humanities as an independent federal agency. “The humanities,” the current legislation declares, “belong to all the people of the United States.”
This idea resonates more than ever.
NEH has awarded more than 63,000 grants since 1965, totaling $5.3 billion, and has leveraged $2.5 billion in private matching donations. That public investment has led to the creation of books, films, museum exhibits, exciting discoveries, and more.
For its 50th anniversary, we present NEH projects that have enriched and shaped American lives. Explore and enjoy.