With a major new initiative recently announced at the Smithsonian Institution, Americans will now be able to more clearly see the role of religion in the history of the United States. The Lilly Endowment has provided a $5 million grant to the Smithsonianâ??s National Museum of American History dedicated to presenting religion as a vital element in American life.
The grant also made it possible for the Smithsonian to hire a permanent curator of religion. Peter Manseau, who holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Georgetown University and whose many books include the history â??One Nation, Under Godsâ? and the novel â??Songs for the Butcherâ??s Daughter,â? was recently hired as the first Lilly Endowment curator of American religious history at the NMAH.
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