The Underground Railroad Education Center has filed a federal lawsuit against the administration of Donald J. Trump, alleging racial and viewpoint discrimination following the cancellation of a $250,000 humanities grant.
The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, challenges the withdrawal of funding originally awarded through the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant was among approximately 1,400 terminated after a January 2025 executive order targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
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According to the lawsuit, the funding cuts violate constitutional protections under the First and Fifth Amendments, arguing that the cancellations disproportionately affect institutions focused on Black history and cultural preservation.
Attorney Nina Loewenstein, representing the center, said there was “just no legitimate basis” for revoking the grant, adding that the administration is “explicitly erasing things associated with the black race.”
The legal challenge is being supported by Lawyers for Good Government, which is providing pro bono representation. Attorneys involved in the case allege that broader federal actions reflect “overt and coded racism” and have negatively impacted thousands of organizations nationwide.
The dispute highlights the wider implications of recent policy changes affecting federal institutions. Critics argue that executive actions have led to the removal or revision of historical content related to slavery and racial inequality at sites managed by the National Park Service and at museums affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.
Some of these changes have already faced legal pushback. In one instance, content related to slavery at a historic site in Philadelphia was restored after a successful legal challenge by local authorities.
The Underground Railroad Education Center, which focuses on preserving the history of enslaved Africans’ escape to freedom, is seeking to have its funding reinstated. Advocates say the outcome of the case could set a precedent for how federal agencies allocate funding to cultural and educational institutions.
The lawsuit adds to a growing number of legal challenges confronting the administration’s policies, particularly those critics argue could reshape how American history, especially the legacy of slavery and racial injustice, is presented in public institutions.
