The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has announced the recipients of its 2026 HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program, an initiative designed to support outstanding research by faculty in the humanities and interpretive social sciences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This year, eight fellows will each receive up to $50,000 to advance sustained research projects, while twelve additional recipients will be awarded up to $10,000 to support project development and smaller-scale studies.

According to Nike Nivar Ortiz, ACLS Program Officer for U.S. Programs, this year’s 20 awards span faculty from 18 HBCUs, representing a diverse mix of institution types, disciplines, and research approaches. She emphasized that the range of awardees highlights the richness of scholarship across HBCUs and reaffirmed ACLS’s commitment to supporting these institutions, which hold a vital place in the landscape of American higher education and history.

The funded projects explore a wide array of topics, including institutional and community histories tied to HBCUs, significant national concerns, influential literary figures, and complex global movements. Examples include research on African American Union soldiers who established Lincoln University of Missouri, a study of women’s political engagement in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1930 and 1965, an analysis of the ethical and legal foundations for Black reparations, and an examination of underrepresented voices in African diasporic opera. These projects span multiple disciplines such as African American studies, linguistics, philosophy, religious studies, and performance studies.

Readers can find more details about the 2026 fellows, grantees, and their respective projects through ACLS resources.

Now in its third year, the program was created in collaboration with HBCU faculty and administrators to better address the distinct teaching and service responsibilities they carry. In addition to research funding, recipients benefit from networking and professional development opportunities, along with a supplementary $2,500 grant awarded to their home institutions to enhance humanities programs or infrastructure.

The ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program is primarily supported by the organization’s endowment, which has been strengthened by contributions from funders, member institutions, and individual donors since ACLS was established in 1919.

Founded over a century ago, ACLS is a nonprofit federation comprising 81 scholarly organizations. As a leading voice for humanities and social science scholarship in the United States, it promotes the idea that knowledge should serve the public good. Through its support of member organizations, ACLS works to broaden the scope, accessibility, and diversity of scholarly knowledge while collaborating with institutions and individuals to strengthen the systems that sustain research and learning.

• “As a girl from São João de Meriti, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, I never imagined I would present my research at such a prestigious international competition, let alone be recognized twice by Mary Kay. Receiving the Mary Kay Research Grant in 2024, among thousands of outstanding projects, was more than financial support—it confirmed that cutting-edge research is possible even in resource-limited settings. This award motivated me to continue my work immediately after returning from ISEF 2024.”
• “With the support from Mary Kay and the DCAT (Drug, Chemical, and Associated Technologies Association) award at ISEF 2024, I was able to enhance my research by purchasing a camera to document tumor cells in each experiment. This allowed me to create a more robust, complete, and reliable dataset, which was crucial for being selected to participate in ISEF again in 2025 and for receiving the Mary Kay Research Grant once more. Beyond helping me, this equipment benefits my entire research group, providing high-quality images for publications in international scientific journals.”
• “This year’s grant will also allow me to acquire additional equipment for my lab, giving back to the place that has supported my work. Looking ahead, I’m applying to universities in the United States to further pursue research opportunities during my undergraduate studies. The Mary Kay awards are helping me move closer to this dream, providing both resources and confidence to become a researcher who contributes to her community and advances cancer treatment to be more effective and less aggressive.”

Selected Researchers and Projects:

1. Ellie Gennings (GBR)
   Research Title: A Concept Mapping Study of High-Performance Adolescent Athletes’ Perspectives on Safety in Sport
   Institution: Bournemouth University (GBR)
2. Catalina Melendro Blanco (COL)
   Research Title: From Hegemonic Global North Perspectives to Global South Realities: Exploring Sport Leaders’ Views on an Intersectional Sport Safeguarding Strategy
   Institution: Canterbury Christ Church University (GBR)
3. Monica Nelson (USA)
   Research Title: Strength in Difference?: Examining Sex- and Gender-Based Training Practices in Women’s Olympic Weightlifting
   Institution: University of Waikato (NZD)
4. Mikaela Springsteen (USA/EST)
   Research Title: Rating and Ranking in the Pursuit of Perfection on Ice
   Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)

Application Statistics
This year’s program received 35 applications from 20 countries across five continents. Of these, 22 were from PhD students and 13 from early career academics.