•HRES 899 IH 
and who also was a founder of the Howard University 
Law School; 
Whereas the Langston Golf Course is believed to be the first 
regulation course built in the United States almost en-
tirely on a refuse landfill; 
Whereas Langston Golf Course has been placed on the Na-
tional Register of Historic Places, and the Capitol City 
Open golf tournament has made Langston Golf Course 
its home for the past 40 years; 
Whereas the first American-born golf professional of African- 
American ancestry was John Shippen, who was born 
circa 1878 in the Anacostia area of Washington, placed 
fifth in the second U.S. Open golf tournament in 1896 
at 16 years old, and helped found the Capitol City Golf 
Club in 1925; 
Whereas the Capitol City Golf Club, eventually was renamed 
the Royal Golf Club and Wake Robin Women’s Club, has 
historically promoted a safe golf facility for African- 
Americans in Washington during an era of few available 
facilities, and these 2 clubs remain the oldest African- 
American golf clubs in the United States; 
Whereas the Langston facility continues to provide important 
recreational outlets, instructional forums, and a ‘‘safe 
haven center’’ for the enhancement of the lives of the 
City of Washington’s inner city youth; 
Whereas the Langston Golf Course and related recreational 
facilities provide a home for the Nation’s important mi-
nority youth ‘‘First Tee’’ golf instruction and recreational 
program in Washington; 
Whereas Langston Golf Course operations and its related fa-
cilities seek to increase course-based educational opportu-
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•HRES 899 IH 
nities as part of the National Park Service for persons 
under 18 years of age, particularly those from popu-
lations of the inner-city and historically underrepresented 
among visitors to units of the National Park System; 
Whereas the preservation and ecologically balanced enhance-
ments via future public and private funding for the lands 
making up the 212 acres of the Langston Golf Course 
will contribute to the positive benefit of the National 
Park System’s Environmental Leadership projects pro-
gram, the Anacostia River Watershed, its importance to 
the City of Washington, and that of the entire metropoli-
tan area; 
Whereas Federal funds for enhancements to the Langston 
course have perennially been promised but rarely pro-
vided, even after the designation of Langston Golf Course 
as a ‘‘Legacy Project for the 21st Century’’, and after 
significant private funding and contributions were com-
mitted and provided; and 
Whereas the Langston Golf Course and related recreational 
facilities have traditionally provided additional quality of 
life value to all residents of Washington and will do more 
so once upgraded to meet its obvious athletic and histor-
ical promise: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the United States 
House of Representatives that— 
(1) it is imperative that the Director of the Na-
tional Park Service and Secretary of the Interior 
comprehensively develop a plan to upgrade the 
Langston Golf Course physical infrastructure, build-
ing facilities, and enhance appropriately future an-
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nual budgets for this important park in the National 
Park System; and 
(2) the Director of the National Park Service 
assess and designate a proper working museum 
within the confines of the Langston Golf Course to 
adequately commemorate the important history of 
this golf, recreational, and instructional African- 
American sports institution as a unique part of the 
National Park System. 
Æ 
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