Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act
This bill would create the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument in Oklahoma as a unit of the National Park System. The monument would preserve, protect, and interpret resources related to the Historic Greenwood District, the Black Wall Street community, and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, as part of U.S. history. Establishment is conditional on the Secretary of the Interior determining that enough land or land interests have been acquired to form a manageable park unit, with public notice in the Federal Register within 30 days of that determination. The boundary would follow a specified map, and the Secretary could acquire land through donation, purchase from willing sellers, or exchange. The act also creates an advisory commission to guide planning and management, outlines administrative responsibilities, and provides for cooperative agreements for interpretation and support. In short, the bill would designate and guide the creation of a National Monument dedicated to the Greenwood District’s history and the Tulsa Race Massacre, with land acquisition steps, a dedicated advisory body, and a management framework under the National Park Service.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and purpose
- 2- Establishes the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument as a unit of the National Park System to preserve and interpret resources tied to Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
- 3- Establishment is conditional on the Secretary determining there is a sufficient quantity of land or land interests to form a manageable park unit, with Federal Register notice within 30 days of that determination.
- 4- Boundary generally follows the Map titled “Greenwood Historic District—Black Wall Street National Monument, Proposed Boundary” (August 2024).
- 5Land acquisition and property
- 6- The Secretary may acquire land or interests within the boundary by donation, purchase from willing sellers with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange.
- 7- Private property rights are stated to be unaffected within or adjacent to the monument.
- 8Administration and planning
- 9- The Secretary administers the monument according to this Act and general National Park System law.
- 10- A management plan must be prepared within 3 years after funds are first made available, with input from the Advisory Commission.
- 11Advisory Commission
- 12- Establishes an 11-member Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Advisory Commission.
- 13- Composition: 7 descendants of people who lived or worked in Greenwood in 1921; 3 members with historic preservation expertise; 1 member selected with recommendations from the Mayor of Tulsa.
- 14- Terms are 5 years; meetings as needed; majority quorum; members serve without compensation (though travel expenses are allowed).
- 15- The Commission advises the Secretary on development, management, visitor facilities, and infrastructure, and it can help with marking and interpretation of resources.
- 16- Section 1013(b) of title 5 U.S.C. does not apply to the Commission (non-FACA status).
- 17- The Commission terminates 10 years after the National Monument is established.
- 18Public notice and map
- 19- The National Monument boundary and map are to be publicly available and on file in the National Park Service.