 Research Fellowships
To promote the interpretation of Virginia history and access to its collections, the Virginia Historical Society, funded by
a matching grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and gifts from individuals, offers fellowships of up to three weeks a year. For the purpose of this program, a week is defined as five days in the VHS library, which is open 10-5, Tuesday through Saturday.
There are five general categories of awards. Andrew W. Mellon Research Fellowships cover the broad sweep of Virginia and American history, for example, supporting research on political, constitutional, religious, African American, military, and social issues. Four other awards focus on more specific topics. The Betty Sams Christian Fellowships in business history cover studies in economic history, trade, industrial and commercial subjects, and labor relations. The Frances Lewis Fellowships in Gender and Women's Studies make awards for work in gender roles and the history of women, the Human Rights Fellowships support work on such topics as lesbian and gay studies, civil rights, and First Amendment issues. The Reese Fellowships in American Bibliography and the History of the Book in the Americas covers literary studies, the evolution of book publication, and bibliography. We make awards on the basis of the applicants' scholarly qualifications, the merits of their proposals, and the appropriateness of their topics, as demonstrated by citation to specific sources in our collections. Applicants whose research promises to result in significant publication, including the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, will receive primary consideration.
Because the program is designed to help defray travel expenses, residents of the Richmond metropolitan area are not eligible (with the exception of the Human Rights Fellowships).
We award a few grants ($150 per week) for mileage to commuting researchers who live outside that area. The majority of
awards ($500 per week) go to those who live farther away and incur greater expenses. We expect recipients to work on a
regular basis in our reading room during the period of their award. We welcome applications from doctoral candidates.
Undergraduates, master's students, and graduate students not yet admitted to Ph.D. candidacy are not eligible.
Applicants should send an original and three copies of the following: a cover letter, a résumé, two letters of recommendation (which may be sent separately), and a description of their research project not longer than two double-spaced pages that also states the length of the award requested. The deadline for applications to be received by the VHS is 1 February 2010; awards will be announced by 15 March 2010. The committee will make partial awards and will consider reapplications. For repeat fellowships, the maximum number of awards is limited to four within a ten-year period.
Founded in 1831, the VHS is a private, nonprofit, educational institution supported by membership dues and endowment. Its
wealth of cataloged materials includes books, paintings, photographs, maps, broadsides, newspapers, artifacts, and more than 7
million manuscripts.
Send applications to:
Dr. Nelson D. Lankford
Chairman, Research Fellowship Committee
Virginia Historical Society
P.O. Box 7311
Richmond, VA 23221-0311
Telephone 804.342.9672
Fax 804.355.2399
E-mail:
nlankford@vahistorical.org
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