African American Burial Grounds Network Act Introduced in House
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) and Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) introduced the African American Burial Grounds Network Act in the House. The legislation would establish a voluntary national network of historic African-American burial grounds and establish a program to educate the public and provide technical assistance for community members and local organizations to research and preserve burial sites and cemeteries within the network.
The protection and documentation of African American burial grounds have long been neglected. This legislation seeks to address that by providing recognition and support at the federal level.
"Too often, the graves of African Americans have been forgotten or ignored by the communities in which they were located. This has been a disservice to the memories of those who came before us, and to the preservation of our nation's history." Congresswoman Adams said.
The African American Burial Grounds Network Act has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee.
Preservation Action fully supports this important legislation and urges quick passage.
House Natural Resources Committee Hosts Forum on African American Cultural Heritage
Last week, in recognition of Black History Month, the
House Natural Resources Committee held a forum on African-American cultural heritage and environmental justice. The forum was hosted by
Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) and featured panelists from the
National Parks Conservation Association, the
Hip Hop Caucus, and the
Natural Resources Defense Council. Members of congress and panelists discussed the
countless contributions the African-American community has made to the environmental and conservation movements, including discussions on combating climate change and preserving historical sites.
"Today we had a productive and necessary conversation with African American community leaders about justice, equity, inclusion, and the preservation of our American story," said House Natural Resources Committee Chair, Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ).
Learn more and watch the complete discussion Natural Resources Committee website.
National Trust for Historic Preservation Accepting Nominations for the America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List
The
National Trust for Historic Preservation is currently accepting nominations for the 2019 list of
America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The goal of the list is bring attention to important historic places from across the country that are being threatened. For almost 30 years the annual list has helped to put a spotlight on nearly 300 incredible historic and threatened places.
Do you know an important historic place that is currently under threat? Consider nominating the site to the 2019 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The deadline for submissions in
March 4, 2019.
Advocacy Week registration includes in-depth training, policy briefings, meetings with elected officials and white papers from an array of preservation and policy professionals. Ticketed events offer additional meetings with elected officials, their staff, and a national network of preservation advocates. Check out our Advocacy Week page for more information.
We Need Your Voice!
One of the most effective ways of sharing information with Congress is through direct meetings, and Advocacy Week is our annual opportunity to have a mass impact on opinion leaders and policy makers. This is especially important as a new Congress will be sworn-in in January. With more than 100 new members of Congress coming to Washington, educating members on historic preservation issues will be critical. Together with a cohesive message in support of preservation-positive legislation we can ensure a strong future for the federal historic preservation program.
Preservation Action is the only national
non-profit dedicated exclusively to lobbying for the best preservation policies at the federal level. We seek to make historic preservation a national priority by advocating to all branches of government through a grassroots constituency empowered with information and training.
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) and Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) introduced the 
