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.