Black and white photograph of Maryland sailmaker Curtis Downes, circa 1950.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The mythology of America's founding developed over the course of centuries.
It will take many years — and many hands — to set the record straight and create an accurate historical picture of how the United States came to be.
Last week, Williams College took a big step in helping that process when it was named, along with two academic partners, the recipient of a $4.9 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of the non-profit's Just Futures Initiative.
Williams, the Mystic (Conn.) Seaport Museum and Brown University's Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice will spend the next three years on a project titled "Reimagining New England Histories: Historical Injustice, Sovereignty and Freedom."