Trump administration provides funds to recreate destroyed Columbus statue
WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5
by William Carter
In July of this year, a Christopher Columbus statue was removed from its spot in Little Italy and thrown in the Harbor. Now, the Trump administration will provide funds to restore the statue.
Baltimore Magazine reports that through the Trump administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded $30,000 to help rebuild the statue. This is a part of NEH's "A More Perfect Union" initiative.
The goal of the initiative is to provide "funding opportunities across the agency’s seven grantmaking divisions for humanities projects that promote a deeper understanding of American history and culture and that advance civic education and knowledge of our core principles of government."
A a private group called Columbus Celebrations Inc. is the recipient of the funds, as they have been leading the effort.
Bill Martin, an accountant who heads Columbus Celebrations, said “The goal is for it to stay in Maryland, hopefully in Baltimore, so that the Italian community, and obviously the groups that spent time and energy on this project and brought it here, can still enjoy it."
Martin estimates $70,000 to $75,000 will be needed to help restore the statue. They are still raising funds.