May 11, 2026 - The Phi Beta Kappa Society welcomes the federal court’s ruling blocking the cancellation of National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants. The lawsuit challenged the elimination of NEH divisions, the termination of grant programs and the dismissal of a substantial portion of agency staff.
The American Council of Learned Societies, the American Historical Association and the Modern Language Association filed the suit one year ago with support from Phi Beta Kappa. We applaud their efforts to protect humanities funding and the broader values of intellectual freedom, open inquiry and civic engagement.
The decision also underscores the importance of fair and transparent public funding processes. Americans benefit when humanities programs are evaluated on their educational and public value, and when cultural and educational institutions can serve their communities with stability and confidence.
The Phi Beta Kappa Society has long championed institutions that make lifelong engagement with the humanities possible. Most notably, the Society played a role in establishing the nation’s cultural endowments in 1963. Unlike private philanthropy, the NEH ensures broad access to the humanities by supporting education and public engagement in communities across all 50 states and six U.S. jurisdictions, funding the libraries, classrooms, museums, councils, and research that sustain American civic life.
At a time of rapid technological, political, and social change, public investment in the humanities is essential. The humanities help Americans understand one another, engage thoughtfully with complex issues, and participate fully in civic life. We encourage policymakers to support the NEH for its educational and cultural programs that help communities across the nation thrive.