CENTER FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION INC

UNRESTRICTED GENERAL SUPPORT

WE ARE BLESSED WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS ALL AROUND US, FROM RESTORING OLD BUILDINGS TO MUSEUMS AND GENEALOGICAL LIBRARIES. BUT WHAT OFTEN GETS MISSED IS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THOSE HOMES, WROTE THOSE OLD BALLADS & WORE THE OLD CLOTHES. WE PRESERVE THE REMNANTS OF WHAT THE PAST OFFERED BUT FORGET TO DOCUMENT THE OLD FOLKS WHO ARE STILL HERE TODAY WITH A TREASURE-CHEST OF KNOWLEDGE THAT COULD HELP US SOLVE PROBLEMS WE ARE ENCOUNTERING TODAY. THE CENTER SEEKS A GRANT TO PRESERVE AND MAKE ACCESSIBLE OVER 20 YEARS WORTH OF RECORDED ORAL HISTORIES AND APPLY THE INSIGHTS AND WISDOM OF OUR ELDERS TO TODAY'S SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. WE WILL MAKE THIS KNOWLEDGE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE RESILIENCE OF OUR ELDERS OFFERS PROFOUND LESSONS TODAY TO OUR YOUTH ON THE POWER OF COMMUNITY AND INTERCONNECTEDNESS. WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH THE BLACK HISTORY RESEARCH GROUP, THE HENDERSON COUNTY GENEALOGICAL & HISTORY GROUP & THE EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS.

RIVER STEWARDS FILM

THIS FUNDING IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON PRESERVING THE SUBSTANTIAL TREASURE-CHEST OF ORAL HISTORIES THE CENTER HAS DEVELOPED FOR MANY YEARS AND TO MAKE THEM PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. THE CENTER HAS COLLECTED NEARLY 400 ORAL HISTORIES OF CHEROKEE, AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND SCOTS-IRISH ELDERS IN MORE THAN 20 COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE IT CLEAR HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, NOW MORE THAN EVER, TO DIGITIZE, SYNOPSIZE, TRANSCRIBE AND UPLOAD THESE ORAL HISTORIES TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THIS SUPPORT WILL HELP THE CENTER CARRY OUT ITS HUMANITIES MISSION, IT WILL PRESERVE PRECIOUS AND DETERIORATING ARCHIVES, IT WILL SUPPORT EXISTING STAFF SALARIES AND POSSIBLY ENABLE US TO HIRE NEW STAFF.