This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to do a study about whether to establish the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City. The study must consult State and local preservation officers, historical societies, tourism offices, and other appropriate groups. The study would look at whether a museum can serve as a permanent living memorial to people enslaved and others, explain the significance of the burial ground, examine African cultural traditions and the history of slavery, and provide space for exhibits, collections, and research. The study must analyze whether there are collections to acquire (including well-preserved human remains and possible DNA samples), whether the museum would offer important learning opportunities, whether local groups support and plan for the museum, which entity should operate it, and whether the preferred location is 22 Reade Street or another area in the National Monument. The Secretary must report the study’s results, findings, and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources no later than three years after funds are first made available.
No publicly available information on total costs or funding levels. The bill requires the study and a report that must describe the availability and cost of collections, criteria for evaluating possible locations in the State, and the costs of acquiring property for, constructing, operating, and maintaining the Museum.
The bill frames the museum as a way to create a permanent memorial and educational center that honors those buried at the African Burial Ground, interprets African cultural traditions and the history of slavery, supports exhibits and research, and encourages collaboration with museums, educational institutions, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
No publicly available information.