FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Laura García-Culler, Executive Vice President
912.651.2125, or Email

Georgia Historical Society Awarded $75,000 National Historical Publications and Records Commission Grant to Create Access to Hidden Collections

Savannah, GA – June 6, 2008. The Georgia Historical Society has been awarded a grant of $75,189 by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) to assist GHS in its efforts to reclaim Georgia’s past by creating access to archival collections hidden within the Society’s backlog. Grant funds will support the completion of a backlog survey as well as the basic processing of 500 cubic feet of collections, thereby making them available to researchers for the first time.

Significant historical collections are hidden in the backlogs of archives and repositories across the nation. GHS is actively working to overcome this common trend as we move further forward in our goal to preserve and create access to 100% of our library and archival collections. In the past year, GHS has secured over $190,000 in federal and foundation grant support to create access to collections which helps to demonstrate the widespread commitment of the public and private sectors to the preservation and sharing of Georgia and American history.

About the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a statutory body affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), promotes the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. For more information visit: http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/.

The Georgia Historical Society, headquartered in Savannah, is the oldest cultural institution in the state and one of the oldest historical organizations in the nation. It is the first and only statewide historical society in Georgia. For nearly 175 years, GHS has collected, preserved, and shared Georgia history through a variety of educational outreach programs, publications, and research services. For more information visit: www.georgiahistory.com.