Conservative political bias at the National Endowment of the Humanities?

Allegations of conservative political bias at the National Endowment of the Humanities have been made over the last several years, but few scholars have come forward to tell their stories. On Saturday 7 January, at a panel sponsored by the American Historical Association Professional Division, the Coordinating Council for Women in History, and the Committee on Lesbian and Gay History, historian of sexuality Marc Stein, an associate professor at York University in Toronto, will go public.

Unanimously recommended for funding by an NEH panel of experts, which gave Stein's proposal for "The U.S. Supreme Court's Sexual Revolution? 1965-1973" its highest possible ratings, Stein's proposal was vetoed by NEH Chair Bruce Cole. When Stein applied again in the next funding cycle, he was rejected again, this time based on allegations about his "personal agenda." HNN will feature Stein's article on our homepage on Saturday.