Historic Newton Receives $20K Grant From Mass Humanities

NEWTON, MA — Historic Newton has received a $20,000 grant from the Expand Mass Stories initiative from Mass Humanities.

The organization is one of 42 cultural non-profits to receive a grant for projects that will reexamine and reimagine the story of Massachusetts.

These funds, made available with the support of the Mass Cultural Council, will go towards creating the documentary film, “An Uncommon Education,” which examines a pioneering educational experiment in West Newton.

At a time when slavery was still the law of the land and women’s suffrage a distant goal, the West Newton English and Classical School admitted Black students, foreign students, and women to a forward-looking program of study. Founded in 1854 and led by Nathaniel T. Allen, the school (often called the Allen School) empowered its students to develop their talents, while moving society decisively toward gender and racial equality.

"The Allen School advanced a radical new vision of social and educational equality in the United States in the last half of the 19th century,” Historic Newton said in a news release. "This is a story that has not been told before in film and not fully told in the written histories. As such, it will restore a forgotten piece of history in Massachusetts - a state that values education and was an early pioneer in fostering inclusion. 'An Uncommon Education' will help current generations make connections that point us toward a more just society."

Additional funding to produce the film is needed. For more information or to make a donation of any amount, click here.

For the full list of Expand Mass Stories grantees, visit the Mass Humanities website.