The U.S Ambassador Karen Lynn Williams spoke with Cynthia MacLeod chairman of Elisabeth Samson House concerning a donation and restoration of the Elisabeth Samson House at Wagenwegstraat 22, which has been in a dilapidated condition for years. A donation US$345,600 was handed over on Monday.
Of the many projects submitted to the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) only a few have been selected of which Elisabeth Samson House was qualified for the highest amount awarded for the 2022 AFCP Grants Program competition. The maximum amount that can be paid out is US$ 500,000 per project.
The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) is a special fund that provides financial support for the preservation of archaeological sites, historic buildings, museum collections and forms of traditional cultural expression, such as indigenous languages and crafts. According to the restoration architect, the intention is to start the restoration of the hull next month. Samson (Paramaribo, 1715 – Paramaribo, April 1771) was a businesswoman in Suriname during the Dutch colonization. As a woman and ‘free black’ she led a company that eventually consisted of various plantations. In Amsterdam she had a boat built for the transport of her products. However, she became known for her legal battle to be able to marry a white man. Samson is an important, but also controversial woman in Surinamese history, because she also made use of slaves.
