[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2232 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
105th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2232
To establish the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 25, 1998
Mr. Bumpers (for himself and Mr. Hutchinson) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board
of Education, which mandated an end to the segregation of
public schools, was one of the most significant Court decisions
in the history of the United States;
(2) the admission of nine African-American students, known
as the ``Little Rock Nine'', to Little Rock's Central High
School as a result of the Brown decision, was the most
prominent national example of the implementation of the Brown
decision, and served as a catalyst for the integration of
other, previously segregated public schools in the United
States;
(3) 1997 marked the 70th anniversary of the construction of
Central High School, which has been named by the American
Institute of Architects as ``the most beautiful high school
building in America'';
(4) Central High School was included on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1977 and designated by the
Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark in
1982 in recognition of its national significance in the
development of the Civil Rights movement in the United States;
and
(5) the designation of Little Rock Central High School as a
unit of the National Park System will recognize the significant
role the school played in the desegregation of public schools
in the South and will interpret for future generations the
events associated with early desegregation of southern schools.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to preserve, protect, and
interpret for the benefit, education, and inspiration of present and
future generations, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and
its role in the integration of public schools and the development of
the Civil Rights movement in the United States.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
(a) Establishment.--The Little Rock Central High School National
Historic Site in the State of Arkansas (hereinafter referred to as the
``historic site'') is hereby established as a unit of the National Park
System. The historic site shall consist of lands and interests therein
comprising the Central High School campus in Little Rock, Arkansas, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ____________ and dated June, 1998.
Such map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the
appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
(b) Administration of Historic Site.--The Secretary of the Interior
(hereinafter referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall administer the
historic site in accordance with this Act and the laws generally
applicable to units of the National Park System, including the Act of
August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4) and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16
U.S.C. 461-467): Provided, That nothing in this Act shall affect the
authority of the Little Rock School District to administer Little Rock
Central High School.
(c) Cooperative Agreements.--(1) The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with appropriate public and private agencies,
organizations, and institutions (including, but not limited to, the
State of Arkansas, the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock School
District, Central High Museum, Inc., Central High Neighborhood, Inc.,
or the University of Arkansas) in furtherance of the purposes of this
Act.
(2) The Secretary shall coordinate visitor interpretation of the
historic site with the Little Rock School District and the Central High
School Museum, Inc.
(d) General Management Plan.--Within two years after the date funds
are made available, the Secretary shall prepare a general management
plan for the historic site.
(e) Continuing Educational Use.--The Secretary shall consult and
coordinate with the Little Rock School District in the development of
the general management plan and in the administration of the historic
site so as to not interfere with the continuing use of General High
School as an educational institution.
(f) Acquisition of Property.--The Secretary is authorized to
acquire by purchase with donated or appropriated funds, by exchange, or
donation the lands and interests therein located within the boundaries
of the historic site: Provided, That the Secretary may only acquire
lands or interests therein within the consent of the owner thereof:
Provided further, That lands or interests therein owned by the State of
Arkansas or a political subdivision thereof, may only be acquired by
donation or exchange.
SEC. 3. DESEGREGATION IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THEME STUDY.
(a) Theme Study.--Within two years after the date funds are made
available, the Secretary shall prepare and transmit to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on
Resources of the House of Representatives a National Historic Landmark
Theme Study (hereinafter referred to as the ``theme study'') on the
history of desegregation in public education. The purpose of the theme
study shall be to identify sites, districts, buildings, structures, and
landscapes that best illustrate or commemorate key events or decisions
in the historical movement to provide for racial desegregation in
public education. On the basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall
identify possible new national historic landmarks appropriate to this
theme and prepare a list in order of importance or merit of the most
appropriate sites for national historic landmark designation.
(b) Opportunities for Education and Research.--The theme study
shall identify appropriate means to establish linkages between sites
identified in subsection (a) and between those sites and the Central
High School National Historic Site established in section 2, and with
other existing units of the National Park System to maximize
opportunities for public education and scholarly research on
desegregation in public education. The theme study also shall recommend
opportunities for cooperative arrangements with State and local
governments, educational institutions, local historical organizations,
and other appropriate entities to preserve and interpret key sites in
the history of desegregation in public education.
(c) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into
cooperative agreements with one or more major educational institutions,
public history organizations, or civil rights organizations
knowledgeable about desegregation in public education to prepare the
theme study and to ensure that the theme study meets scholarly
standards.
(d) Theme Study Coordination With General Management Plan.--The
theme study shall be prepared as part of the preparation and
development of the general management plan for the Little Rock Central
High School National Historic Site established in section 2.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
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