[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2490 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.2490

                    One Hundred Seventeenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
          the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two


                                 An Act


 
   To establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, 
                     Texas, 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. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Blackwell School National Historic 
Site Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
    Congress finds that--
        (1) the Blackwell School, located at 501 South Abbott Street, 
    in Marfa, Presidio County, Texas, is--
            (A) associated with the period of racial segregation in 
        Marfa public schools; and
            (B) the only extant property directly associated with 
        Hispanic education in Marfa since the other buildings were torn 
        down after the Blackwell School closed in 1965;
        (2) the Blackwell School is a tangible reminder of the period 
    during which the doctrine of ``separate but equal'' dominated 
    education and social systems;
        (3) despite being categorized as ``white'' by Texas law, 
    Mexican Americans were regularly excluded from commingling with 
    Anglo individuals at barbershops, restaurants, funeral homes, 
    theaters, churches, and schools;
        (4) the spectrum of experiences of students and teachers at the 
    Blackwell School are an important record of life in a segregated 
    school in the context of the history of Texas and the United 
    States;
        (5) Mexican and Mexican American culture and history in Marfa 
    is tied to the Blackwell School, which for more than 50 years 
    served as a leading feature of the Hispanic community, illustrating 
    the challenge of maintaining cultural identity in a dominant Anglo 
    society;
        (6) Hispanic influences continue to be seen in social and 
    religious organizations, business and government institutions, and 
    shared experiences of language, food, and music in Marfa, Texas;
        (7) the historic Blackwell School building is a physical record 
    of--
            (A) the longevity and beauty of the distinctive design and 
        craftsmanship informed by traditional techniques and materials; 
        and
            (B) the transition from the purely vernacular to the period 
        of materials, design, and workmanship made available after the 
        arrival of the railroad;
        (8) the original historic school building and grounds on which 
    the Blackwell School building stands provide an authentic setting 
    to commemorate and interpret the history of the Blackwell School;
        (9) the Blackwell School is closely associated with the broad 
    patterns of local, State, and national history in the area of 
    school segregation; and
        (10) Mexicans and other members of the Latin American diaspora 
    have placed a high value on education as a means of economic, 
    social, and political advancement, but Hispanics and Latinos have 
    not always had equitable opportunities and access to quality 
    educational facilities in the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
    In this Act:
        (1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Blackwell 
    School National Historic Site Proposed Boundary'', numbered 593/
    178387, and dated February 2022.
        (2) National historic site.--The term ``National Historic 
    Site'' means the Blackwell School National Historic Site 
    established by section 4(a)(1).
        (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
    the Interior.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BLACKWELL SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
    (a) Establishment.--
        (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is established 
    the Blackwell School National Historic Site in the State of Texas 
    as a unit of the National Park System to preserve, protect, and 
    interpret for the benefit of present and future generations the 
    Blackwell School, including--
            (A) the role of the Blackwell School as an academic and 
        cultural cornerstone in Marfa, Texas; and
            (B) the function of the Blackwell School within a 
        segregated system of education in Texas and the United States 
        from the period of 1885 through 1965.
        (2) Determination by secretary.--The National Historic Site 
    shall not be established until the date on which the Secretary 
    determines that--
            (A) a written agreement has been entered into by the 
        Secretary with the Marfa Unified School District providing that 
        the Blackwell School shall be donated to the United States or 
        co-managed with the Secretary for inclusion in a national 
        historic site to be managed consistently with the purposes of a 
        national historic site; and
            (B) a sufficient quantity of land or an interest in land 
        within the boundaries of the National Historic Site has been 
        acquired to constitute a manageable unit.
    (b) Map.--
        (1) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the National Historic Site 
    shall be the boundaries generally depicted on the map.
        (2) Availability of map.--The map shall be on file and 
    available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the 
    National Park Service.
    (c) Acquisition of Authority.--The Secretary may only acquire any 
land or interest in land located within the boundary of the National 
Historic Site by--
        (1) donation;
        (2) purchase with donated funds; or
        (3) exchange.
    (d) Administration.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the National 
    Historic Site in accordance with--
            (A) this Act; and
            (B) the laws generally applicable to units of the National 
        Park System.
        (2) Management plan.--
            (A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
        which funds are first made available to the Secretary to 
        prepare a general management plan for the National Historic 
        Site, the Secretary shall prepare a general management plan for 
        the National Historic Site in accordance with section 100502 of 
        title 54, United States Code.
            (B) Submission.--On completion of the general management 
        plan under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 
        the general management plan prepared under that subparagraph.
    (e) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary shall enter into 
cooperative agreements with the Blackwell School Alliance and other 
local, regional, State, academic, and nonprofit partners for 
interpretive and educational programming, technical assistance, and 
rehabilitation relating to the National Historic Site.
    (f) Written Consent of Owner.--No private property or non-Federal 
public property shall be included within the boundaries of the National 
Historic Site or managed as part of the National Historic Site without 
the written consent of the owner of the property.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.