The bill would establish the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City. The Interior Secretary, acting through the National Park Service, would acquire a site, build the museum, and operate it. The museum would honor enslaved people buried at the site and others who were enslaved, explore slavery and African cultural traditions, and support exhibits, research, and education. An advisory council would help guide its planning and operation.
Visitors could use the museum’s exhibits and educational programs to learn about the burial ground, slavery, and African cultural traditions. The bill also calls for public input on museum planning and operation.
The bill would authorize $15 million for fiscal year 2025 and amounts needed in later years. It would also authorize amounts needed to acquire and develop the site. The federal government would pay two-thirds of the costs of acquiring property and planning, designing, and building or renovating the museum. These are authorizations, not a statement that the funds have been provided.
The bill’s stated rationale is that the museum would honor people who were enslaved, help visitors understand the history of slavery, and preserve the African Burial Ground’s significance.
No publicly available information.