June 30 is a big day for HRA, with three historians marking fifteen years at HRA. The second is Senior Historian Jimmy Grant. Jimmy brought with him not just an MA in history from Providence College, but also years of experience working for the National Park Service and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. He is extremely versatile—his project experience includes preparing interpretive plans, writing historic contexts for cultural resource management reports, serving as an expert witness for litigation involving rights of way, and conducting research and writing on Indigenous history and natural resource issues. Most notably, Jimmy has helped build and expand HRA’s interpretive services line, which is dedicated to interpreting and exhibiting history in accurate, inclusive, and meaningful ways through collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
Jimmy always offers thoughtful perspectives and a calm demeanor, making him a great colleague and facilitator. He is a valued member of HRA’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee, through which he is helping to develop best practices for working with Tribes in all of HRA’s service areas.
Congratulations on a very successful fifteen years, Jimmy!