Sec. 2. Findings

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Congress finds that— the African Burial Ground National Historic Landmark in New York, New York, holds the remains of up to 20,000 enslaved Africans and early-generation African-Americans from the colonial era; the Africans and African-Americans that suffered under slavery show us the strength of the human character and provide us with a model of courage, commitment, and perseverance; as President George W. Bush stated on July 8, 2003, during his remarks at Goree Island, Senegal:

“For 250 years the captives endured an assault on their culture and their dignity. The spirit of Africans in America did not break. … All the generations of oppression under the laws of man could not crush the hope of freedom and defeat the purposes of God.”; on February 27, 2006, President George W. Bush established the National Monument, which was comprised of the approximately 15,000-square foot parcel of the National Historic Landmark that was bounded by Duane and Elk Streets in Lower Manhattan; an international memorial museum facility dedicated to those individuals who suffered the grave injustice of slavery in the United States, while at the same time helping to build the country, would— reflect the significance of the African Burial Ground; and help the people of the United States understand the past and honor the history of all people in the United States; in 1998, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution— stated that the African Burial Ground affords the perfect opportunity to gain insight into— the institution of slavery, as practiced in urban, rural, northern, and southern parts of the United States; and the international slave trade; and proposed that a partnership be formed among the Smithsonian, the National Park Service, and the General Services Administration to further develop the African Burial Ground; the National Museum of African American History and Culture Act ( 20 U.S.C. 80r et seq.), which authorized construction of a museum in Washington, DC, identified the period of slavery as one of the periods of the African-American diaspora that would be encompassed by the museum; the African Burial Ground— is unlike any other anthropological and symbolic site in the United States or the world; includes DNA samples from the remarkably well-preserved human remains that will enable researchers to trace the home roots in Africa of those individuals buried at the African Burial Ground; and provides a fitting location for a national memorial facility, relating to the National Museum of African American History and Culture that would— pay special tribute to— the thousands of enslaved individuals who are buried at the African Burial Ground; and all of the individuals who were enslaved during the history of the United States; examine the African cultural traditions brought to the United States by the enslaved; and explore in-depth the institution of slavery; a memorial museum at the site of the African Burial Ground— was first recommended by a Federal steering committee in 1992; and in conjunction with the World Trade Center memorial and other nearby sites, would attract millions of visitors from the United States and abroad, making a substantial contribution to the development and revitalization of Lower Manhattan in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center of September 11, 2001;

Public Law 99–511 (100 Stat. 2080) encouraged support for the establishment of a commemorative structure within the National Park System or on other Federal land that is dedicated to the promotion of understanding, knowledge, opportunity, and equality for all people; similar to the National Museum of the Native American that was established by section 3(a) of the National Museum of the American Indian Act ( 20 U.S.C. 80q–1(a) ), a memorial museum at the site of the African Burial Ground would benefit from a partnership among— the Federal Government; the State of New York; the city of New York; and members of the private sector; the African Burial Ground— has been determined to be nationally significant as— a National Historic Landmark; and a National Monument; and provides an important opportunity for interpretation, understanding, partnership and pride; and the National Park Service— has played an important role in the development of the African Burial Ground (including the designation of the African Burial Ground as a National Monument); successfully operates other national facilities in the city of New York that symbolize freedom and the quest for freedom in America, including— the Statue of Liberty National Monument; and the Ellis Island National Monument; provided key support to the Presidential Study Commission for the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and is well-suited to assume a leadership role with respect to the creation of the Museum.

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