[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7353-H7361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMANCIPATION NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL STUDY ACT
Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 434) to designate the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows
H.R. 434
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 ``Emancipation National
Historic Trail Study Act''.
SEC. 2. EMANCIPATION NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL STUDY.
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C.
1244(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(47) Emancipation national historic trail.--The
Emancipation National Historic Trail, extending approximately
51 miles from the Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in
Galveston, Texas, along Texas State Highway 3 and Interstate
Highway 45 North, to Freedmen's Town, then to Independence
Heights and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas, following
the migration route taken by newly freed slaves and other
persons of African descent from the major 19th century
seaport town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of
Freedmen's Town, located in the 4th Ward of Houston,
Texas.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Guam.
General Leave
Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Guam?
There was no objection.
Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 434, introduced by Representative Jackson Lee of
Texas, celebrates the freedom of the last American slaves by
authorizing the study of an approximately 51-mile route for inclusion
as a national historic trail in the National Trails System. The study
will examine the suitability of designating the Emancipation National
Historic Trail from Galveston to Freedmen's Town in Houston.
Nearly 2\1/2\ years after President Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation, United States General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston,
Texas, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
Upon gaining their freedom, many of the 250,000 newly freed slaves
traversed the route from Galveston to Freedmen's Town in Houston,
spreading the news to neighboring communities. This bill is a fitting
tribute that honors the historic journey and lasting legacy of the last
American slaves.
I want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for
championing this important legislation and for her hard work moving
this bill through the legislative process.
I strongly support passing this bill.
I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for
yielding, and I thank him for his leadership and the leadership of
Chairman Grijalva, for the full committee, and, certainly, the ranking
member for his courtesies.
I thank the manager tonight, a friend from Utah, for their kindness
in yielding to me. This is an emotional moment for me and, as well, for
many in my constituency, and I am delighted to be able to rise to give
strong support to H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic Trail
Study Act.
I thank all of the Members, as I have indicated, and also thank
Congresswoman Haaland, chair of the Natural Resources Committee's
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, for holding
the hearing that allowed the committee to learn of the strong support
enjoyed by H.R. 434 and the hard work of dedicated historic
preservationists to preserve the rich history of former slaves.
I also thank Naomi Mitchell Carrier of Houston, Texas, for her
stalwart efforts to share the stories of newly freed slaves who settled
in Freedmen's Town, a section of Houston, to begin their lives as free
persons during the end of the Civil War. I want to thank Ms. Carrier as
an educator, historian, and author with expertise in African American
music, Texas history, and heritage tourism.
I also thank Ms. Eileen Lawal for her April 2019 oral testimony
before the Natural Resources Committee in an amazing, passionate
expression of how vital this trail will be. Ms. Lawal is the president
Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy, whose mission is to protect and
preserve the history of Freedmen's Town.
I also thank the Mayor of the city of Houston, Sylvester Turner;
Commissioner Rodney Ellis; the mayor of the city of Galveston; my
colleague, my original cosponsor, Congressman Weber, who represents the
Galveston area.
The work of H.R. 434 will result in only the second trail in the
United States that chronicles the experience of African Americans.
I am hoping that this will move swiftly through the United States
House, then to the United States Senate, and then is signed by the
President of the United States.
Currently, the National Park Service only has one national historic
trail which centers on the African American experience. It is a Selma
to Montgomery National Historic Trail which covers a 54-mile path
between Selma and Montgomery.
But as slaves lived in this land from 1619 to 1865 as slaves, a 250-
year history, to think only one trail would commemorate that historic
moment--although a moment in history that all of us are saddened by--it
is important to capture the bravery, the courage, the strength of those
families who managed to stay together.
The establishment of the Emancipation National Historic Trail will be
the second trail for which the National Park Services would have
responsibility and, again, would tell the wonderful story for future
generations of the rich history of this Nation and the role that
African Americans played in the economic, political, religious,
cultural, and governmental efforts of this Nation. It ties into the
work that we are continuing to do.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act would pave the way
to working to establish an important story. It will go 51 miles from
the historic Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas,
along Highway 3 and Interstate 45, all the way up to Freedmen's Town
and Emancipation Park and Independence Heights, which was the first
city organized by African Americans here in the Southwest region.
H.R. 434 requires that we study the post-Civil War history of newly
freed slaves in a major slave-holding State following the largest
military campaign waged on domestic soil in the history of the United
States.
It is important to take note of the fact that those of us west of the
Mississippi did not know that Abraham
[[Page H7354]]
Lincoln had freed the slaves until 1865. Captain Granger came to the
shores and said to us in 1865, those of our ancestors, that they had
been freed.
In a second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln declared
that slavery was America's original sin: ``Yet, if God wills that it
continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's 250 years of
unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with
the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said
3,000 years ago, so still it must be said `the judgments of the Lord
are true and righteous altogether.' ''
We know that Abraham Lincoln wanted to maintain the unity of this
Nation, but he wanted it to be without slaves. The story of the trail
will be one that will be enlightening because the newly freed slaves
established communities. They established schools. They established
churches, and they migrated into the Houston community, coming up from
that Emancipation National Historic Trail.
Today, the city of Houston is fortunate to call those communities
Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park. The first park that was bought
in the State of Texas was bought by freed slaves in Independence
Heights. Freedmen's Town survived while other communities did not, and
it continues to have some of the historic buildings.
By 1915, over 400 African American-owned businesses existed in
Freedmen's Town. By 1920, one-third of Houston's 85,000 people lived in
Freedmen's Town.
Freedmen's Town is recognized as a historic district. Emancipation
Park was established in 1872 as Texas' oldest park, and it was bought,
as I indicated, by freed slaves for a mere $8. After the emancipation,
Freedmen's Town became one of the only sanctuaries for free persons in
Houston.
The Freedmen's Town community has fought to preserve its structures,
and though we are suffering from gentrification and the movement of our
historic structures, we still have the character of that community.
I am delighted that the new neighbors, the new residents of that area
will now be able to recognize how important Freedmen's Town is, and we
can work together to build the historical story.
One such struggle was to preserve the handmade red bricks, and this
evidences the restoring, the very important ceremony to put the old
bricks that were made by freed slaves, to put them back into Freedmen's
Town.
There are many stories that have come with this recurrent retelling
of this trail, and I believe it will be an important trail and
important story as well.
Let me also indicate that Independence Heights, as I said, was the
first city, and we have already discussed the importance of
Emancipation Park.
On September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American
History and Culture opened its doors, after 13 years of planning and
construction and over 100 years of struggle, to see the history of
former slaves as part of the complex of the museums of the Smithsonian
that began in 1915.
I am proud to say that one of my predecessors, the Honorable Mickey
Leland, was the first to seek to establish a museum dealing with
slaves.
Then came John Lewis, who introduced his bill in 2003. I was
delighted to be able to be part of it.
I am asking for strong support for H.R. 434. As I indicated, it
brings back great memories of understanding our discussion in school
about slavery and its aftermath. There was no commemoration to
recognize that historic march, that historic migration when the slaves
were freed in Galveston at that time and the settling that went on in
the city of Houston.
{time} 2130
It is very important to have knowledge of our history. With this
trail, not only will the information about this historic trail be
placed in the annals of the history of the United States, but I will be
very grateful that the children and their children's children will
really understand the important collective history of this great
Nation.
Again, I wish to thank all of those who supported this. It is
important to be able to thank Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner
Rodney Ellis, the African American Library at Gregory School, the
Houston Freedmen's Town Conservatory, the Freedmen's Town Advisory
Committee, the Emancipation Park Conservancy, the Independence Heights
Redevelopment Council, the Freedmen's Town Preservation Coalition, the
Kohrville Community Amos Cemetery Association, the Texas Center for
African American Living History, the Rutherford B. Hayes Yates Museum,
the Heritage Society of Sam Houston Park, the Houston Association of
Black Psychologists, the Kinder Foundation, and Vanderbilt University.
Ramon Manning, who heads the Emancipation Park Conservancy, was an
avid and strong supporter, also, as I mentioned, Sylvester Turner, the
mayor of the city of Houston; Jacqueline Bostic; the Fourth Ward
Redevelopment Authority; the head of the Emancipation Park Conservancy;
and the director of parks. As I said, the mayor of the city of
Galveston was also a supporter.
Mr. Speaker, I include letters in support of H.R. 434
City of Houston
Library Department,
Houston, TX, July 22, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Houston Public
Library, on behalf of the African American Library at the
Gregory School (The Gregory School), endorses H.R. 434, the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing
before the Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
The Library has a vested interest in the Emancipation
National Historic Trail because The Gregory School currently
holds and has held a very unique place in the histories of
Texas, Houston, and Freedmen's Town/Fourth Ward history for
more than 152 years.
In 2009, The Gregory School was established by the Houston
Public Library as an African American Research and Archival
Center in Houston's Historic Fourth Ward or Freedmen's Town.
Freedman's Town was established in 1865 as the destination of
former enslaved people in Texas and Louisiana after the Civil
War. In 1866, the Freedmen's Bureau opened schools for black
children and adults in the area. The Texas Legislature
authorized the creation of public schools for the black
community in 1870. By 1872 most of the students and teachers
who were at the Bureau schools, which were closing, left them
to attend the state-managed Gregory Institute. The Gregory
Institute was the first school for freed slaves in Houston.
Mike Snyder of the Houston Chronicle said that it was
``perhaps the first school for freed slaves in the State of
Texas.'' By 1876 the Gregory Institute became a part of the
Houston Public School System. The building that now houses
the African American Library at the Gregory School first
opened in 1926, as a two-story public school building for
``colored children,'' and was named Gregory Elementary
School. In March 2019, The Gregory School was designated as a
``site of Memory associated with the UNESCO Slave Route
Project'' for being the first public school for freed slaves
in the state of Texas.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Rhea Brown Lawson, Ph.D.,
Director of the Houston Public Library.
____
Harris County Precint One,
Houston, TX, July 22, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: I would like to
express my strong support for H.R. 434, ``Emancipation
National Historic Trail Act.'' The trail will follow the
migration route taken by newly freed slaves from Galveston to
the vibrant settlement of
[[Page H7355]]
Freedmen's Town, which today is located outside downtown
Houston in the 18th Congressional District. The trail would
extend north 51 miles from Galveston's historic Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel AME Church along Highway 3 and
Interstate 45 to Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in
Houston.
As the Harris County Precinct One Commissioner, I have the
privilege of representing the Freedman's Town and
Emancipation Park areas; I firmly believe the trail will
further elevate the historical significance of these vibrant
communities and tell an important part of our local and
national history. The Emancipation National Historic Trail
would be the first trail in southwest United States that
recognizes the role of African Americans in the legacy of
freedom.
I applaud you for introducing the bill, which I
wholeheartedly support, and urge your support of the creation
of the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act. It would
bring national attention to a period of history when our
nation took significant strides to make real the promise of
our founding documents that give all people the right to
freedom--a worthy goal, indeed.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Rodney Ellis,
Commissioner.
____
Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN, July 19, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: As the U.S. Member
of the UNESCO International Scientific Committee for the
Slave Route Project: ``Resistance, Liberty and Heritage,'' I
write to endorse H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic
Trail Act, which had a hearing before the Subcommittee on
April 2, 2019.
My UNESCO charge has been to help identify sites of
importance for the history of Africans and their descendants
in our country, and to support the nomination of these sites
for a UNESCO Slave Route designation. Since 2017, I have had
the pleasure of working with the organizations and
individuals in Houston who have been dedicated to preserving
this important and underappreciated history. After much hard
work on their part, this year a number of Houston sites won
the UNESCO Slave Route designation. As an historian of the
African past in the Americas, I have long recognized the role
Galveston played in the African slave trade, filtering newly
imported Africans into the U.S. Southwest. Nor did
Galveston's engagement in that trade end in 1808 when
Congress officially abolished that trade.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
This August I will attend the meeting of the UNESCO
International Scientific Committee for the Slave Route
Project in Cotonou, Benin, where we will celebrate the 25th
anniversary of the project and where I will be proud to
report on the successes in Texas. I hope that the passage of
this bill will be an additional item to celebrate.
Sincerely,
Jane Landers,
Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair of History, Vanderbilt
University, Director, Slave Societies Digital Archive,
Member, UNESCO International Scientific Committee for the
Slave Route Project.
____
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Kohrville
Community Amos Cemetery Association endorses H.R. 434, the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing
before the Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
The Amos Cemetery is the oldest African-American burial
ground in the Kohrville community. Amos Cemetery is a
significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official
Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors the cemetery
as an important and educational part of local history. In
1881, former enslaved blacks from Alabama and Mississippi
settled the area located on Cypress Creek. The Kohrville
community, centered on farming, ranching and lumber
industries, and offered schools for black students. Families
that established this community are buried here as history is
preserved by the Kohrville Community Amos Cemetery
Association.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Cathyrine Stewart,
President Kohrville Community Association.
____
Freedmen's Town
Preservation Coalition
Houston, TX, July 22, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: This letter is
written to advise you that the Freedmen's Town Preservation
Coalition was established in June 2014 to preserve and
protect historical sites and properties. We therefore,
enthusiastically endorse H.R. 434, the Emancipation National
Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing before the
Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
FTPC is a grassroots citizens-based organization that saw a
problem with the destruction of historical cultural sites and
properties in Freedmen's Town, the first place for settlement
of formerly enslaved Africans. The trail of Freedom led to
establishment of Freedmen's Town. FTPC stopped the
destruction and removal of the historic bricks that were
made, paid for and laid by freedmen and their descendants by
first, developing an awareness campaign, secondly, placing a
human body in the hole of destruction and finally, through
legal action. Hence, as you can see, we recognize that
preservation must happen and thusly, we are delighted with
your proposed action to establish an Emancipation National
Historic Trail.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Dorris Ellis Robinson,
Founder and President of the Freedmen's Town Preservation
Coalition.
[[Page H7356]]
____
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Houston
Association of Black Psychologists (HABPsi) endorses H.R.
434, the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, which had
a hearing before the Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
As a group of mental health professionals, HABPsi is of the
opinion that the recognition of the Emancipation National
Historic Trail would extend further the redemption of people
of African descent who continue to live with the legacy of
enslavement to this day. Even after more than 150 years since
the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans experience
mental, emotional and spiritual pain from the experience of
generations of enslavement. Acknowledgement of slavery ending
. . . of free men, women and children walking away is a
powerful remembrance.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Ms. Anelle Williams,
HABPsi President.
____
Independence Heights
Redevelopment Council, Inc.,
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: On behalf of the
Board of Directors, staff and community of historic
Independence Heights. we are pleased to offer this letter
supporting the establishment of the National Emancipation
Heritage Trail. We are excited about this effort and have
been engaged to assure all of our local churches, businesses
and community groups join us as we endorse H.R. 434: the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, referenced in a
hearing held before the Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
As the local convening agency in Independence Heights, we
work everyday to preserve the rich heritage of Independence
Heights, the first municipality established by African
Americans in the State of Texas. This is especially important
to us as we are amongst only a handful of communities
remaining across America that still exist today. We are
hopeful that H.R. 434 will serve as a beacon and give hope to
many other places that are struggling to protect heritage
before it is all erased.
African Americans were tenacious people. After the Civil
War, they united and established settlements and even
incorporated towns in the south amidst racial upheaval and
reconstruction. We are proud f this heritage and are proud to
stand with other communities including Galveston,
Emancipation Park and Freedman's Town in Houston. The passing
of this bill will result in the Emancipation National
Historic Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the
Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along
Texas State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's
Town, then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves where General Gordon Granger announced
the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, freeing the
last American slaves. The newly freed slaves traveled
spreading the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom. It would also
bring awareness highlighting the undertold story of many
African Americans towns and places. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Tanya Debose,
Executive Director, Independence Heights Redevelopment
Council, Inc.
____
Emancipation Park Conservancy,
April 2, 2019.
Hon. Deb Haaland,
Chairwoman--House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest, and
Public Lands Natural Resources Committee, Washington, DC.
Hon. Don Young,
Ranking Member--House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest,
and Public Lands Natural Resources Committee, Washington,
DC.
Dear Chairwoman Haaland and Ranking Member Young: I write
to express strong support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation
National Historic Trail Act, introduced by Congresswoman
Sheila Jackson Lee. Enactment of this bill will make possible
an Emancipation National Historic Trail, which will extend 51
miles from the historic Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in
Galveston, Texas, along Highway 3 and Interstate 45, north to
Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. This
trail follows the migration route taken by newly-freed slaves
from the Galveston, Texas a major nineteenth century port to
the vibrant settlement of Freedmen's Town, which is today the
Fourth Ward of Houston, in the 18th Congressional District.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would be the first
trail in the southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring national recognition to a period of history when our
nation took significant strides to make real the promise of
our nation's founding documents attesting to the rights of
all to live free.
Sparked by the desire to have a place to commemorate the
anniversary of their emancipation, known as Juneteenth,
former slaves and community members in the Third and Fourth
Wards led by Reverend Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard
Brock, and Reverend Elias Dibble united to raise $1,000 in
1872 to purchase 10 acres of park land to host Juneteenth
Celebrations. Emancipation Park is the most historic and
culturally significant park in the city of Houston and was
formerly one of the only communal spaces for Blacks in
Houston. Over the years, Emancipation Park's immediate
surrounding area experienced an economic boom, where many
Black owned and frequented businesses, financial institutions
and venues flourished in Houston's Third Ward. Emancipation
Park is significant, not only as a ritual of remembrance and
celebration, but also as an early act of exercising the
rights of property ownership, commerce and cooperative
economics amongst Blacks, which were formerly denied, known
in our nation's founding documents as ``life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness''. The Emancipation National
Historic Trail would serve as an invaluable opportunity to
share rich cultural, social, historical and economic strides
that have shaped society in the past and present. Thank you
for your consideration in this designation.
Sincerely,
Ramon Manning,
Board Chairman,
Emancipation Park Conservancy.
____
Freedmen's Town
Advisory Committee,
Houston, TX, July 20, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Jackson Lee: The Freedmen's Town
Advisory Committee would like to express our enthusiastic
support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic
Trail Act, which had a hearing before the Subcommittee on
April 2, 2019.
The Freedmen's Town Advisory Committee was established by
Mayor Sylvester Turner to help preserve the historical
integrity of Freedmen's Town for the benefit of generations
to come. Historians have stated that Freedmen's Town is
potentially the ``largest linear architectural footprint
still preserved in America'' of black urban life during the
post-slavery Reconstruction era.
The Committee has worked to promote Freedmen's Town and
bring international recognition from the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to the
area. As a result of this collaboration, multiple sites
located on the proposed Trail have been designated as ``Sites
of Memory Associated to the UNESCO Slave Route Project''.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities. Should this
bill become
[[Page H7357]]
law it would establish the first trail in the Southwest
United States that recognizes the role of African Americans
in the legacy of freedom in the United States.
An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would bring long
overdue historic recognition to the role African Americans
played in the building of today's Houston and the state of
Texas. In addition, the revenue generated by people who come
to visit the area and walk this trail will result in tourism
dollars to the city of Houston and the adjoining areas.
Warm Regards,
Eileen Lawal,
Chair.
____
Houston Freedmen's
Town Conservancy,
Houston, TX, July 20, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Jackson Lee: With this letter, The
Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy would like to express our
enthusiastic support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation National
Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing before the
Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
The Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-
profit corporation that was established to protect and
preserve the history of Freedmen's Town for the benefit of
future generations. Freedmen's Town was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1985, by the U.S.
Department of Interior, and some of the historic sites
located in this ``Mother Ward'' as it is commonly known, were
recognized in March, 2019 by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Seven of these
historic sites, all located along the proposed Historic
Trail, have been designated as ``Sites of Memory Associated
with the UNESCO Slave Route Project''.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities. Should this
bill become law it would establish the first trail in the
Southwest United States that recognizes the role of African
Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United States.
An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would bring long
overdue historic recognition due to the role African
Americans played in the building of today's Houston and the
state of Texas. In addition, the revenue generated by people
who come to visit the area and walk this trail will result in
tourism dollars to the city of Houston and the adjoining
areas.
Warm Regards,
Eileen Lawal,
Board of Directors President.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to
me. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 434 enthusiastically. We look
forward to the history being told for all to know, to appreciate, and
to understand.
Mr. Speaker, as the author and principal sponsor, I rise today in
strong support of H.R. 434, the ``Emancipation National Historic Trail
Act.''
I thank Chairman Raul M. Grijalva for shepherding this legislation to
the floor.
I also thank Congresswoman Haaland, chair of the Natural Resources
Committee's Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands
for holding the hearing that allowed the Committee to learn of the
strong support enjoyed by H.R. 434, and the hard work of dedicated
historic preservationists to preserve the rich history of former
slaves.
Let me begin by thanking Ms. Naomi Mitchell Carrier of Houston,
Texas, for her stalwart efforts to preserve and share the stories of
newly freed slaves who settled in the Freedmen's Town section of
Houston to begin lives as free persons following the end of the Civil
War.
Ms. Mitchell Carrier is an educator, historian, and author with
expertise in African American music, Texas history, and heritage
tourism.
I also thank Ms. Eileen Lawal for her April 2019 oral testimony
before the Natural Resources Committee, in support of H.R. 434.
Ms. Lawal is the president of Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy,
whose mission is to protect and preserve the history of Freedmen's Town
for the benefit of future generations.
The work of H.R. 434 will result in the second trail in the United
States that chronicles the experience of African Americans.
Currently, the National Parks Service only has one National Historic
Trail, which centers on the African American experience.
It is the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, which covers a
54-mile path between Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, was designated a
National Historic Trail in 1966.
The Selma to Montgomery Trail tells an important story about a
pivotal moment in the nation's struggle with turning away from a
history of segregation and toward a future of equality and justice.
Establishment of the Emancipation National Historical Trail will be
the second trail for which that the National Parks Services would have
responsibility, and it will tell the story of African Americans and
will preserve for future generations the rich history of the newly-
freed slaves who journeyed to Houston in search of economic and
political opportunity, and greater religious and cultural freedom.
It is a remarkable story and one that all Americans can be proud to
share with the world.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail Act would pave the way for
the establishment of only the second nationally-recognized historic
trail that chronicles the experience of African Americans in their
struggle for equality and justice.
H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historical Trail Act, designates
as a national historic trail the 51 miles from the historic Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Highway 3 and
Interstate 45, north to Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas.
H.R. 434 requires that we study the post-Civil War history of newly-
freed slaves in a major slave holding state following the largest
military campaign waged on domestic soil in the history of the United
Sates.
This period is more than just a story about the North's victory and
the South's loss--it is a story about a newly-freed people emerging
from over 250 years of slavery and how they survived into the 21st
century when other similarly situated communities did not.
In his Second Inaugural Address President Abraham Lincoln declared
that slavery was America's Original Sin:
Yet, if God wills that it continue [The Civil War] until
all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty
years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop
of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn
with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so
still it must be said ``the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.''
The bloody civil war was one phrase often used by battlefield
survivors to describe what it was--blood, suffering, tears, and death,
but from this struggle came a new birth of freedom for millions of
former slaves.
There were thousands of communities comprised of freed slaves
throughout the United States--although most of these communities were
found in the South, they could also be found in the North, South, and
Midwestern sections of the country.
Newly-freed slaves held malice toward none, including former slave
owners.
But the same could not be said for those who once owned slaves.
Through economic hardship, natural disasters, and the period of 1919-
1921 called the ``Burnings,'' dozens of communities ceased to exist.
The City of Houston is fortunate that much of this early history of
former slaves has survived to this day: Freedmen's Town, Independence
Heights, and the Emancipation Park areas, which are treasures in our
nation's history.
Freedmen's Town survived where other communities did not, and it is
the only surviving 19th century community built by former slaves to
have a notable number of original structures that have been protected,
preserved, or restored.
Freedmen's Town became the center of opportunity for freed slaves
throughout the Houston area.
By 1915, over 400 African American-owned businesses existed there.
By 1920 one-third of Houston's 85,000 people lived in Freedmen's
Town.
Freedmen's Town is a recognized Historic District.
Emancipation Park was established in 1872 and is Texas's oldest
public park.
After emancipation, Freedmen's Town became one of the only
sanctuaries for freed persons in Houston, Texas.
Today, Freedmen's Town hosts an impressive number of post-Civil War
surviving structures--which include homes, public buildings, and
commercial spaces built by former slaves.
The Freedmen's Town community has fought to preserve structures,
unique construction features, and period materials which are unique in
their continued presence as originally installed.
One such struggle was the work to preserve handmade red brick street
in Freedmen's
[[Page H7358]]
Town that streets would have been destroyed had community leaders and
preservationists not fought and succeeded in winning needed
infrastructure improvements, and the re-installation of the period
bricks onto the street.
There are concerns that Texas Department of Transportation's
announced highway improvements on I-45 in the City of Houston would
impact the historic areas of Independence Heights before the study
directed by this bill could begin.
The reason the National Parks Service exists is to preserve the
public lands for all to use and enjoy.
The nation has invested a great deal in protecting national parks and
historic places due to their unique beauty, typographical features, or
historic relevance.
The stories that make up the American experience have, for far too
long, been limited to those of one group of Americans.
The limited view of what is of value or interest to the American
public has changed with the establishment of a Native American History
Museum and most recently the opening of the National African American
History and Culture on the Mall.
The ``whites-only'' version of American history must end and at the
same time we can make room for other American stories.
In 1915, the first suggestion of creating an African American History
Museum came from African American Union veterans of the Civil War.
By 1988, Congressmen John Lewis and Mickey Leland introduced
legislation for a stand-alone African American history museum within
the Smithsonian Institution.
Their bill faced significant opposition in Congress due to its cost.
Supporters of the African American museum tried to salvage the
proposal by suggesting that the Native Indian museum (then moving
through Congress) and African American museum share the same space.
But the compromise did not work, and Congress took no further action
on the bill.
In 2001, Congressman Lewis and Congressman J.C. Watts reintroduced
legislation for a museum in the House of Representatives which became
law, creating a federal commission to study the idea of an African
American Museum near Capitol Hill.
After completing a 2-year study the Commission determined that an
African American history museum would be of substantial benefit to the
nation.
In 1994, despite winning approval in both House and Senate
committees, the bill died once more, due to opposition by North
Carolina Senator Jesse Helms, who refused to allow the legislation to
come to the Senate floor despite bipartisan support.
In 2003, the House passed the ``National Museum of African American
History and Culture Act,'' which passed the Senate and was signed into
law by President George W. Bush.
On September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American
History and Culture (NMAAHC) opened its doors after 13 years of
planning, and construction and over a hundred years of struggle to see
the history of former slaves as part of the complex of museums on the
Capital Mall began in 1915.
The success of the National Museum of African American History and
Culture reveals the hunger in the nation and across the world for
authentic stories from our past.
Since its opening the NMAAHC has generated a sustained demand for
tickets, an unprecedented problem for a museum--where interest far
outstrips capacity to accommodate visitors.
About three million people have already visited the NMAAHC, which is
the newest museum in the Smithsonian Institution and houses close to
37,000 rare artifacts within three stories.
Not only is demand for tickets high, according to the museum's
associate director, so is the amount of time visitors spend in the
museum once they get in.
The museum's associate director told NPR.com that while most venues
have a ``dwell'' time of an hour and 45 minutes to two hours, visitors
are spending up to six hours exploring. It's already an important part
of many people's list of things to do in Washington, D.C.''
There is a hunger in the nation for stories about African Americans
from our past that link us to our present and act as guideposts to our
future.
This is a momentous opportunity--one that fires the imagination for
fully telling the American story from the voices and perspectives of
all of our nation's citizens.
The richness of these diverse stories is found in Houston's African
American historic areas.
These areas of Houston tell the story of many peoples who are part of
our nation's history by filling in gaps of the story of the United
States that too many Americans do not know or understand because these
stories are now being taught as part of American history.
It is important to ensure that the public trust to preserve our
nation's history is also a commitment to preserving all of its history,
including that which reflects both its best and worst moments.
By way of example, when I was a young girl, I learned the story of
Crispus Attucks--a key figure in our nation's history who on the eve of
the American Revolution lost his life during a protest of British rule
prior to the start of the Revolutionary War.
However, Crispus Attucks was not the sole person of African descent
who wanted to see freedom from British rule--he fought for the United
States and was joined by thousands of other persons of African descent
who participated in the Revolutionary War.
Over time the history of the American War for Independence is
revealing a tapestry of diversity that had not been well understood.
In the 1980s the daughters of the American Revolution initially would
not accept black women as members until one stood up and took a stand.
According to a March 1984 story in the Washington Post, Lena Lorraine
Santos Ferguson, a retired school secretary, was denied membership in a
Washington, D.C. chapter of the DAR because she was black.
Her two white sponsors, Margaret M. Johnston and Elizabeth E.
Thompson, were shocked at Ms. Ferguson's rejection.
Ms. Ferguson met the lineage requirements and could trace her
ancestry to Jonah Gay, a white man who fought in Maine.
When the reason for not admitting Ms. Ferguson became known, the
public reaction was swift and negative.
The Daughters of the American Revolution revisited their denial of
Ms. Ferguson, and upon reconsideration accepted her as a member, making
her the first of many women of color who became members of the
organization.
The history of the United States is more complex and immensely richer
than would be apparent if we only consider the history of one group of
people.
The tenacity demonstrated and the focus on historical accuracy and
the need to save what is a unique aspect of American history for future
generations is important.
For this reason, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to
vote in support of H.R. 434.
Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 434, which would authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the
proposed Emancipation National Historic Trail. This 51-mile trail
follows the migration route taken by newly freed slaves and other
persons of African descent from the major 19th-century seaport town of
Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's Town in Houston.
Although President Abraham Lincoln officially ended slavery through
the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, many slaves were
not freed until much later when news of the proclamation reached their
towns. The last of those slaves lived in the South and were freed on
June 19, 1865, after the Emancipation Proclamation was read in
Galveston.
On January 1, 1866, the Emancipation Proclamation was read at the
African Methodist Episcopal Church on 20th and Broadway, now Reedy
Chapel. A large number of the freed slaves marched from the courthouse
on 21st and Ball Streets to the church, where the director of the
Freedmen's Bureau read the proclamation to the marchers.
The Emancipation Proclamation is still read at the church each year
at the Juneteenth celebration.
Houston, Texas, has rich ties to African American history. The
Emancipation Trail proposed by H.R. 434 ends in Freedmen's Town and
Emancipation Park in Houston. Freedmen's Town is one of the first and
the largest of the post-Civil War Black urban communities in Texas. The
community was established by former Texas slaves who left their
plantations for the safety of Houston.
Emancipation Park is also significant to Houston African American
history. In the years following the emancipation of slaves in Texas,
African American populations across Texas collected money to buy
property dedicated to the Juneteenth celebrations. In honor of their
freedom, they named it Emancipation Park.
This bill is an important reminder of the struggles of African
Americans throughout our Nation's history as we have worked to form a
more perfect union. I support Ms. Jackson Lee's efforts to study the
proposed trail and highlight the important African American history of
Texas.
[[Page H7359]]
Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. SAN NICOLAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his support,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following
letters in support of H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic
Trail Act:
City of Houston,
Houston, TX, March 26, 2019.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Natural Resources Committee,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Grijalva: I write today to express my support
of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee's bill, H.R. 434, the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act. Passage of this
bill will pave the way for the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which will extend approximately 51 miles from the
Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along
Texas State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's
Town and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. This trail
follows the migration route taken by newly freed slaves from
the major 19th century seaport town of Galveston to the
burgeoning community of Freedmen's Town, which is now the 4th
Ward of Houston, home to the 18th Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to
announce the freedom of the last American slaves. His
announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two and a
half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston to spread the
news to neighboring communities.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would be the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
that African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the surrounding area. I urge you to pass this bill to
create the Emancipation National Historic Trail.
Sincerely,
Sylvester Turner,
Mayor.
____
Kinder Foundation,
Houston, TX, July 22, 2019.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Kinder
Foundation endorses H.R. 434, the Emancipation National
Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing before the
Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
The Kinder Foundation actively supports the community
development and preservation of the historic Freedmen's Town
and Third Ward in Houston, Texas, which has a direct
relationship and serves as a key location in H.R. 434, the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act. The Kinder
Foundation is participating in planning efforts for
Freedmen's Town and provided early funding for the renovation
of Emancipation Park located in Third Ward. Emancipation Park
began as 10 acres of land purchased in 1872, by Reverend Jack
Yates, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, and Reverend Elias
Dibble to serve as a gathering place for former slaves living
in the Third and Fourth Wards to commemorate the anniversary
of their emancipation (``Juneteenth''). The Kinder Foundation
also actively supports the Emancipation Park Conservancy to
further programming and operations at Emancipation Park, as
well as the Emancipation Community Development Partnership
and the Emancipation Economic Development Council in an
effort to revitalize the area through affordable housing and
education initiatives. Passing H.R. 434, will have an
enormous impact and be a major contribution towards the
historical and cultural preservation of three of Houston's
most historically significant neighborhoods.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Nancy G. Kinder,
President & CEO.
____
Rutherford B. H. Yates
Museum, Inc.,
Houston, TX.
Hon. Shiela Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Rutherford B H
Yates Museum, Inc. endorses H.R. 434, the Emancipation
National Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing before the
Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
The Rutherford B H Yates Museum, Inc. believes that the
approval of H.R. 434 will be the first major step toward the
goal for the 40 block Freedmen's Town National Register
Historic Place-TCP and its related sites, to become U.S.
National Landmarks and ultimately to receive UNESCO-World
Heritage Cite recognition. In March 2019, the first six (6)
of the (74) sites that RBHYates Museum, Inc. had nominated in
2016, have been awarded as ``Sites of Memory Associated with
the UNESCO-Slave Route''. We continue to submit documents for
consideration of the nominated sites, in the UNESCO-Slave
Route process.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to include the
Freedmen's Town National Register Historic Place-TCP, then to
Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in Houston,
Texas. This trail follows a migration route taken by
previously enslaved peoples from the major 19th century
seaport town of Galveston to the founding of the earliest
Urban settlement of Freedmen's Town-4th Ward, Houston, home
to the 18th Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed slaves nearly two and a half
years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. The
newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston and from
Plantations throughout Texas. to other cities and states in
search of family members who had been previously sold into
slavery, and to spread the news of freedom to neighboring
communities.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail Act would bring
long overdue historic recognition for the role African
Americans played in the building of Houston and Texas. In
addition, the revenue generated by heritage cultural tourists
who visit and walk this trail will benefit the City of
Houston and the State of Texas.
Sincerely,
Theophilus Herrington, Ph.D.
____
The Heritage Society
at Sam Houston Park,
Houston, TX.
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Heritage Society
endorses H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic Trail
Act, which had a hearing before the Subcommittee on April 2,
2019.
Since its founding, The Heritage Society, a non-profit
501(c)(3), has acquired and restored ten historic buildings
in the city of Houston. The result is a treasure for our
city, with buildings that tell the stories of how diverse
segments of society lived daily, from freed slaves building
new lives for themselves to prosperous merchant families from
Houston's early years. The Heritage Society is an educational
institution whose mission is to tell the stories of the
diverse history of Houston and Texas through its collections,
exhibitions and programing.
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
Two of the historic buildings cared for by The Heritage
Society, the Jack Yates House and the 4th Ward Cottage, have
been nominated as ``Sites of Memory'' as part of the UNESCO
Slave Route Project. Obtaining international recognition to
the Jack Yates House signifies its importance as a place that
embodies what is was to be an enslaved African-American, who,
once freed, became a community leader whose lasting impact is
seen today. Recognizing this Historic Trail would truly
provide a larger understanding of how Houston's history is
both unique and
[[Page H7360]]
also very much a part of the larger story of the impact of
enslavement of African Americans in the United States.
Should this bill become law it would establish the first
trail in the Southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring long overdue historic recognition due to the role
African Americans played in the building of the today's
Houston and the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue
generated by people who come to visit the area and walk this
trail will result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston
and the adjoining areas.
Sincerely,
Alison A. Bell,
Executive Director.
____
Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee: The Texas Center for
African American Living History endorses H.R. 434, the
Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, which had a hearing
before the Subcommittee on April 2, 2019.
Owing to my research to document historic sites and markers
from Galveston to Houston Freedmen's National Historic
District, I, Naomi Carrier, develop a written testimony that
has become a part of the historical record for H.R. 434, as
expressed in this excerpt from Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson
Lee:
``As the founder and CEO of Texas Center for African
American Living History, your insight will be beneficial to
the effort to see H.R. 434 become law. In the past thirty
years, you have endeavored to bring a fresh perspective to
Texas History through performance art and education. If you
will prepare written remarks in support of the bill, I will
see that your written statement is placed into the record for
the hearing and that you will be recognized. There will also
be a seat for you to observe this historic hearing. I ask
that you plan to attend, you should plan to arrive the
evening before or the morning of the hearing to allow us an
opportunity to speak before the hearing begins.
Your written testimony is welcomed and appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Sheila Jackson Lee
Member of Congress''
This bill will result in the Emancipation National Historic
Trail, which extends approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, along Texas
State Highway 3 and Interstate 45 North to Freedmen's Town,
then to Independence Heights, and Emancipation Park in
Houston, Texas. This trail follows the migration route taken
by newly freed slaves from the major 19th century seaport
town of Galveston to the burgeoning community of Freedmen's
Town, which is now the 4th Ward of Houston, home to the 18th
Congressional District.
The start of the trail is located where General Gordon
Granger sailed into Galveston, Texas, with troops on June 19,
1865, to announce the freedom of the last American slaves.
His announcement belatedly freed 250,000 slaves nearly two
and a half years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation. The newly freed slaves traveled from Galveston
to spread the news to neighboring communities. Should this
bill become law it would establish the first trail in the
Southwest United States that recognizes the role of African
Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United States. An
Emancipation Historic Trail designation would bring long
overdue historic recognition due to the role African
Americans played in the building of the today's Houston and
the state of Texas. In addition, the revenue generated by
people who come to visit the area and walk this trail will
result in tourism dollars to the city of Houston and the
adjoining areas.
My research gathered over the past 30 years will be an
invaluable asset to the National Park Service in the study of
the Trail and relevant 19th and early 20th century historic
sites in the surrounding areas.
Sincerely,
Naomi Mitchell Carrier,
M.Ed.--Professor, Houston Community College, Author, Go
Down, Old Hannah, Founder, Texas Center for African American
Living History (TCAALH), Director, Performing and Visual Arts
Workshop.
____
Fourth Ward Redevelopment Authority, TIRZ No. 14,
Freedman's Town,
Houston, TX, April 1, 2019.
Re H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act
Hon. Deb Haaland,
Chairwoman, House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and
Public Lands, Natural Resources Committee, Washington,
DC.
Dear Chairwoman Haaland: On behalf of the Boards of
Directors for Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number
Fourteen, City of Houston, Texas (``TIRZ #14'') and Fourth
Ward Redevelopment Authority (the ``Authority''), please
allow this correspondence to serve as our expression of
support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation National Historic
Trail Act, introduced by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
It is our understanding that the enactment of this bill
will make possible an Emancipation National Historic Trail
which will extend 51 miles from the historic Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas along Highway 3
and Interstate 45 north to Freedman's Town and Emancipation
Park located in Houston, Texas. The trail will follow the
migration route taken by newly-freed slaves from Galveston,
Texas, a major nineteenth century port, to the vibrant
settlement of Freedmen's Town which today is also referenced
as the Fourth Ward Houston within the 18th Congressional
District.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would be the first
trail in the southwest region of the United States that
recognizes the role of African Americans in the legacy of
freedom in the United States. An Emancipation Historic Trail
designation would bring national recognition to the period of
time when our nation took significant strides to make real
the promise of our nation's founding documents attesting to
the rights of all men to live free.
Freedmen's Town is contained within the boundaries of TIRZ
#14 and within our zone we have significant structures that
are directly related to the founders of Emancipation Park. Of
note are the historic brick streets that were laid by freed
slaves; Bethel Church founded by Jack Yates which has been
restored as an open space park; and The African American
Library at Gregory School which originally served as the
first public school for black students. Antioch Missionary
Baptist Church, the oldest African American church in Houston
(1876) whereby Jack Yates served as pastor still resides in
the historic boundaries of Freedmen's Town just east of the
TIRZ boundaries.
Through our project plan that directs TIRZ #14 to allocate
its funds to historical preservation, among other designated
projects, the Authority has set its priorities on preserving
and renovating the institutional vestiges of Freedman's Town
to assure that for generations to come the story of the
African-American experience in Houston can be retold and
personally experienced. We strongly believe that The
Emancipation National Historic Trail will lend itself to act
as the impetus by which the nation will come to know and
experience the tenacity and strength of the freed slave to
build, thrive and prosper in its own community.
Therefore, it is an honor to lend our support to the H.R.
434, The Emancipation National Historic Trail Act.
Very truly yours,
Jacqueline Bostic,
Chair.
____
Emancipation Park Conservancy,
April 2, 2019.
Hon. Deb Haaland,
Chairwoman, House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest, and
Public Lands, Natural Resources Committee, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Don Young,
Ranking Member, House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest,
and Public Lands, Natural Resources Committee,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Haaland and Ranking Member Young: I write
to express strong support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation
National Historic Trail Act, introduced by Congresswoman
Sheila Jackson Lee. Enactment of this bill will make possible
an Emancipation National Historic Trail, which will extend 51
miles from the historic Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in
Galveston, Texas, along Highway 3 and Interstate 45, north to
Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. This
trail follows the migration route taken by newly-freed slaves
from the Galveston, Texas a major nineteenth century port to
the vibrant settlement of Freedmen's Town, which is today the
Fourth Ward of Houston, in the 18th Congressional District.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would be the first
trail in the southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring national recognition to a period of history when our
nation took significant strides to make real the promise of
our nation's founding documents attesting to the rights of
all to live free.
Sparked by the desire to have a place to commemorate the
anniversary of their emancipation, known as Juneteenth,
former slaves and community members in the Third and Fourth
Wards led by Reverend Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard
Brock, and Reverend Elias Dibble united to raise $1,000 in
1872 to purchase 10 acres of park land to host Juneteenth
Celebrations. Emancipation Park is the most historic and
culturally significant park in the city of Houston and was
formerly one of the only communal spaces for Blacks in
Houston. Over the years, Emancipation Park's immediate
surrounding area experienced an economic boom, where many
Black owned and frequented businesses, financial institutions
and venues flourished in Houston's Third Ward. Emancipation
Park is significant, not only as a ritual of remembrance and
celebration, but also as an early act of exercising the
rights of property ownership, commerce and cooperative
economics amongst Blacks, which were formerly denied, known
in our nation's founding documents as ``life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness''.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would serve as an
invaluable opportunity to
[[Page H7361]]
share rich cultural, social, historical and economic strides
that have shaped society in the past and present. Thank you
for your consideration in this designation.
Sincerely,
Ramon Manning,
Board Chairman, Emancipation,
Park Conservancy.
____
National Trust for
Historic Preservation,
March 29, 2019.
Chairman Raul Grijalva,
Washington, DC.
Ranking Member Rob Bishop,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop: We
appreciate the opportunity to share our support for H.R. 434,
the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act. The National
Trust enthusiastically endorses this legislation and looks
forward to its enactment in this Congress.
Interests of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a
privately-funded charitable, educational, and nonprofit
organization chartered by Congress in 1949 to ``facilitate
public participation in historic preservation'' and to
further the purposes of federal historic preservation laws.
The intent of Congress was for the National Trust ``to
mobilize and coordinate public interest, participation, and
resources in the preservation and interpretation of sites and
buildings.'' With headquarters in Washington, D.C., nine
field offices, 27 historic sites, more than one million
members and supporters, and a national network of partners in
states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the
National Trust works to save America's historic places and
advocates for historic preservation as a fundamental value in
programs and policies at all levels of government.
H.R. 434, Emancipation National Historic Trail Act
We appreciate Representative Sheila Jackson Lee's
leadership on this legislation to establish the Emancipation
National Historic Trail in the state of Texas. The route
would extend approximately 51 miles from the Osterman
Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston along Texas State
Highway 3 and Interstate Highway 45 North to Freedmen's Town
and Emancipation Park located in Houston.
The designation of this historic trail-to be administered
by the National Park Service-traces the 19th century
migration route from Galveston to Houston of newly freed
slaves and persons of African descent. On June 19, 1865,
General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston to announce the
freedom of the last American slaves, which belatedly freed
approximately 250,000 slaves nearly two and a half years
after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Their
migration to the community of Freedmen's Town located in the
Fourth Ward of Houston would be codified in this proposed
historic trail designation and further allow the National
Park Service to tell the stories of all Americans.
National Historic Trails administered by the National Park
Service provide an opportunity to recognize, commemorate, and
interpret travel routes of national historic significance
while sharing the significant histories of our nation. We
urge Congressional support of this legislation and look
forward to enactment of H.R. 434.
Sincerely,
Pam Bowman,
Director of Public Lands Policy.
____
Emancipation Park Conservancy,
Houston, TX, April 2, 2019.
Hon. Deb Haaland,
Chairwoman--House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest, and
Public Lands, Natural Resources Committee, Washington,
DC.
Hon. Don Young,
Ranking Member--House Subcommittee National Parks, Forest,
and Public Lands, Natural Resources Committee,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Haaland and Ranking Member Young: I write
to express strong support for H.R. 434, the Emancipation
National Historic Trail Act, introduced by Congresswoman
Sheila Jackson Lee. Enactment of this bill will make possible
an Emancipation National Historic Trail, which will extend 51
miles from the historic Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in
Galveston, Texas, along Highway 3 and Interstate 45, north to
Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. This
trail follows the migration route taken by newly-freed slaves
from the Galveston, Texas a major nineteenth century port to
the vibrant settlement of Freedmen's Town, which is today the
Fourth Ward of Houston, in the 18th Congressional District.
The Emancipation National Historic Trail would be the first
trail in the southwest United States that recognizes the role
of African Americans in the legacy of freedom in the United
States. An Emancipation Historic Trail designation would
bring national recognition to a period of history when our
nation took significant strides to make real the promise of
our nation's founding documents attesting to the rights of
all to live free.
Sparked by the desire to have a place to commemorate the
anniversary of their emancipation, known as Juneteenth,
former slaves and community members in the Third and Fourth
Wards led by Reverend Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard
Brock, and Reverend Elias Dibble united to raise $1,000 in
1872 to purchase 10 acres of park land to host Juneteenth
Celebrations. Emancipation Park is the most historic and
culturally significant park in the city of Houston and was
formerly one of the only communal spaces for Blacks in
Houston. Over the years, Emancipation Park's immediate
surrounding area experienced an economic boom, where many
Black owned and frequented businesses, financial institutions
and venues flourished in Houston's Third Ward. Emancipation
Park is significant, not only as a ritual of remembrance and
celebration, but also as an early act of exercising the
rights of property ownership, commerce and cooperative
economics amongst Blacks, which were formerly denied, known
in our nation's founding documents as ``life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness''. The Emancipation National
Historic Trail would serve as an invaluable opportunity to
share rich cultural, social, historical and economic strides
that have shaped society in the past and present. Thank you
for your consideration in this designation.
Sincerely,
Ramon Manning,
Board Chairman--Emancipation
Park Conservancy.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 434, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to amend
the National Trails System Act to provide for the study of the
Emancipation National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________