How Conservatives Took Over the NEH
Conservative appointees under Donald Trump reshaped the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), eliminating half its staff, terminating 97% of grants, and firing nearly all advisory board members—leaving three conservative Duke alumni in control. The NEH under their leadership awarded two $10 million grants to organizations tied to these members, while rejecting projects like a hip-hop education initiative, with one member controversially reading explicit lyrics during a meeting.
Donald Trump’s 2019 appointments to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) advisory council shifted the agency toward conservative priorities. Keegan Callanan, a Duke-trained political scientist and vocal critic of projects like *Hip Hop as Humanities*—a $200,000 grant for teaching hip-hop in classrooms—read uncensored lyrics from N.W.A.’s *Fuck tha Police* during a 2024 meeting, sparking a union complaint and calls for civility. Despite his objections, the project was funded and held last year. In 2024, the NEH’s staff was cut by over half, and 97% of its grants were terminated under the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump then fired 22 of the 26 advisory board members, leaving three conservative academics—Callanan, William English (acting NEH chairman), and Matthew Rose—all tied to Duke University and North Carolina’s conservative academic networks. The trio, described as a ‘close-knit cohort,’ opposes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Since conservatives gained control, the NEH awarded two of its largest-ever grants—$10 million each—to organizations linked to the trio: UNC’s School of Civic Life and Leadership and the Foundation for Excellence in Higher Education, a group aligned with conservative academic movements. Callanan has advised UNC’s civics school, while English and Rose have deep ties to Duke and conservative higher-education efforts. Former NEH staff and council members, most of whom were fired, alleged the trio promotes a unified conservative agenda, blocking projects perceived as DEI-related. The NEH spokesperson acknowledged recusal policies but declined detailed questions, stating that applicants should expect their proposals to be evaluated according to established criteria. The shift reflects broader political influence over federal cultural funding, with conservative appointees prioritizing grants to aligned organizations while rejecting initiatives exploring marginalized perspectives in education.
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