Underground Railroad Museum Sues Trump Administration Over Grant Cancellation

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Underground Railroad Education Center in Albany, New York, is suing the Trump administration, alleging that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) unlawfully terminated a $250,000 federal grant due to racial discrimination. The lawsuit, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York, claims the cancellation stemmed from President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Lawsuit Details and Allegations

The museum argues that the NEH’s decision to revoke the grant violated the First and Fifth Amendments. The lawsuit cites Trump’s January 2025 executive order mandating federal agencies eliminate operations supporting DEI within 60 days. According to the 40-page legal brief, approximately 1,400 grants were terminated in early April 2025 for conflicting with the executive order and subsequent agency priorities.

Nina Loewenstein, the museum’s lawyer, stated there was “just no legitimate basis” for the grant’s cancellation, characterizing it as “just explicitly erasing things associated with the Black race.” Loewenstein’s legal team, comprised of volunteers from Lawyers for Good Government, contends that the Underground Railroad Education Center is among numerous organizations unlawfully targeted by the administration. The lawsuit further asserts that statements from the current Executive Branch leadership demonstrate “overt and coded racism supporting white supremacy and denigrating Black history in America.”

Broader Context of Funding Cuts

This case is part of a larger pattern of the Trump administration targeting museums and exhibits in an attempt to enforce its anti-DEI directives. In a separate incident last month, a judge ordered the administration to restore a slavery exhibit in Philadelphia after artwork and informational displays were removed from the President’s House Site. The administration altered the schedule of free admission days to national parks, removing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. In August 2025, the administration initiated a review of the Smithsonian’s museum exhibitions to ensure alignment with the president’s historical perspective.

About the Underground Railroad Education Center

The Underground Railroad Education Center is located in the home of Stephen and Harriet Myers, abolitionists who aided thousands escaping slavery before the Civil War. Paul and Mary Liz Stewart, co-founders of the center, began researching the Underground Railroad in the late 1990s after noticing a lack of awareness about the topic among their students. Since 2004, they have worked to restore the Myers’ home and establish it as a community hub, offering tours and educational programs.

Impact of the Grant Cancellation

The Stewarts had been seeking funding for a $12 million project to construct an interpretive center adjacent to the Myers’ residence, as current facilities are insufficient. The loss of the $250,000 NEH grant represents a significant setback for this project. Mary Liz Stewart explained that the grant “validated who we are as an organization, what we were trying to do. And in turn, sort of said to the to the wider world, this is an organization worth paying attention to.”

Ongoing Legal Battles

The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The case highlights the growing tension between cultural institutions and the administration’s policies regarding historical representation and DEI initiatives. Similar organizations have faced funding cuts and censorship threats, as reported by The New York Times, with some successfully appealing to restore funding, like the Underground Railroad Education Center did with IMLS funding earlier in the year.