The Clements Library Research Fellowships
The Clements Library research fellowships exist to help scholars gain access to the Library’s rich array of primary sources on early American history. On almost any aspect of the American experience from 1492 through 1900, the Clements holdings—books, manuscripts, pamphlets, maps, prints and views, newspapers, photographs, ephemera—are among the best in the world. Since the Library’s opening in 1923, historians have published more than 600 noteworthy books based on the Clements collections. The potential for rewarding research at the Clements—on military history, gender and ethnicity, religion, the American Revolution, Native Americans, politics and government, slavery and antislavery, the Civil War, travel and exploration—is remarkably strong. For any serious student of America’s early heritage, the Clements Library is an attractive destination indeed.
The Clements Library offers research fellowships in the following categories for calendar year 2019:
Jacob M. Price Visiting Research Fellowships – Price Fellowships offer support for short-term research at the Clements Library by graduate students and junior faculty on any topic of American history that is supported by the collections. Grants are for $1,000 and require a minimum visit of one week. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Fellowship for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American History – The Fellowship for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American History supports short-term research at the Clements Library by graduate students or junior faculty from Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are undertaking a research project that examines topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion or who demonstrate a commitment to diversity in the field of American History. The award will be based largely on the significance of the Clements’ collection to the applicant’s research. Grants are for $1,000 and require a minimum visit of one week. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Howard H. Peckham Fellowship on Revolutionary America – Established in honor of the Library’s second Director, the Peckham Fellowship supports research on American history between 1764 and 1815. The fellowship provides $10,000 for a project involving a residence of two months or longer at the Library or $1,000 for a project requiring a minimum residence of one week. This is a post-doctoral fellowship requiring a completed Ph.D. or equivalent qualifications at time of application. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Mary G. Stange Fellowship – The Mary G. Stange Fellowship offers support for short-term research at the Clements Library by graduate students, faculty, or independent researchers working on any topic supported by the collections. Unique projects are encouraged. Grants are for $1,000 and require a minimum visit of one week. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Richard & Mary Jo Marsh Fellowship – The Richard & Mary Jo Marsh Fellowship offers $1,000 to support graduate students, faculty, or independent researchers working on any topic supported by the collections. A one-week minimum residency is required. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Brian Leigh Dunnigan Fellowship in the History of Cartography – Established in honor of Brian Leigh Dunnigan, Map Curator and Associate Director of the Clements Library, this fellowship is open to graduate students, faculty, and independent researchers working on any topic supported by the cartographic collections. The fellowship provides $1,000 for a project requiring a minimum visit of one week. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Norton Strange Townshend Fellowship – Named for physician and educator Norton Strange Townshend (1815-1895), this fellowship offers $10,000 in support of scholarly research on diversity, equity and inclusion in American history during the nineteenth century. Successful applicants are expected to spend a minimum of two months at the Clements. This is a post-doctoral fellowship that requires a completed Ph.D. or equivalent qualifications at the time of application. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Earhart Fellowships on American History – Earhart Fellowships offer $10,000 for scholarly research on any aspect of American history prior to 1901. Successful applicants are expected to spend a minimum of two months at the Clements. This is a post-doctoral fellowship that requires a completed Ph.D. or equivalent qualifications at the time of application. Applications must be received by January 15 for residence in that calendar year.
Reese Fellowship in the Print Culture of the Americas – Funded by the William Reese Company, this fellowship encourages research in the history of the book and other print formats, bibliography, and other aspects of print culture in America, including publishing and marketing, from the sixteenth century to 1900. Projects may investigate any printed genre (e.g. books, prints, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, published photographs, broadsides, maps, etc.). Support for work in manuscript collections will be limited to projects related to printed materials (e.g. annotations in books, publishers’ business archives, etc.). The Reese Fellowship provides $5,000 to support one month of in-residence study in the Clements Library collections. This is a post-doctoral fellowship requiring a completed Ph.D. or equivalent qualifications at time of application. Applications must be received by January 15 for research to be undertaken in that calendar year.
Please note: We regret that applications for Clements Library fellowships cannot be considered unless the applicant resides at least 200 miles from Ann Arbor.