I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3581 
To establish the African Burial Ground National Historic Site and the African 
Burial Ground International Memorial Museum in New York, New York, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2005 
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. MEEKS of New York) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources 
A BILL 
To establish the African Burial Ground National Historic 
Site and the African Burial Ground International Memo-
rial Museum in New York, New York, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘African Burial Ground 
International Memorial Museum Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that—
(1) the African Burial Ground National His-
toric 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; 
(2) 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; 
(3) as President George W. Bush stated on 
July 8, 2003, during his remarks at Goree Island, 
Senegal: ‘‘For 250 years the captives endured an as-
sault 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.’’; 
(4) a national memorial museum dedicated to 
the African Americans that suffered the grave injus-
tice of slavery in this country, while at the same 
time helping to build the country, will allow the peo-
ple of the United States to understand the past and 
honor the history of all people in the United States; 
(5) in 1988, the Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution—
(A) stated that the African Burial Ground 
affords the perfect opportunity to gain insight 
into— 
(i) the institution of slavery, as prac-
ticed in urban, rural, northern, and south-
ern parts of the United States; and 
(ii) the international slave trade; and 
(B) proposed that a partnership be formed 
among the Smithsonian, the National Park 
Service, and the General Services Administra-
tion to further develop the African Burial 
Ground; 
(6) 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, D.C., identified the period of slavery as 
1 of the periods of the African American diaspora 
that would be encompassed by the museum; 
(7) the African Burial Ground— 
(A) is unlike any other anthropological and 
symbolic site in the United States or the world; 
(B) includes DNA samples from the re-
markably well-preserved human remains that 
will enable researchers to trace the home
‘‘roots’’ in Africa of those individuals buried at 
the African Burial Ground; 
(C) provides a fitting location for a na-
tional memorial facility, relating to the National 
Museum of African American History and Cul-
ture that would— 
(i) pay special tribute to the thou-
sands of slaves that are buried at the Afri-
can Burial Ground; 
(ii) examine the African cultural tra-
ditions brought to the United States by the 
enslaved; and 
(iii) explore in-depth the institution of 
slavery; 
(8) a memorial museum at the site of the Afri-
can Burial Ground— 
(A) was first recommended by a Federal 
steering committee in 1992; and 
(B) in conjunction with the planned 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 revitaliza-
tion of Lower Manhattan in response to the at-
tacks on the World Trade Center of September 
11, 2001; 
(9) Public Law 99–511 (100 Stat. 2080) en-
couraged support for the establishment of a com-
memorative structure within the National Park Sys-
tem or on other Federal land that is dedicated to the 
promotion of understanding, knowledge, opportunity, 
and equality for all people; 
(10) the African Burial Ground— 
(A) has been determined to be nationally 
significant as a National Historic Landmark; 
and 
(B) provides an important opportunity for 
interpretation, understanding, partnership and 
pride; and 
(11) the National Park Service— 
(A) has played an important role in the de-
velopment of the African Burial Ground site; 
(B) successfully operates other national fa-
cilities in the city of New York that symbolize 
freedom and the quest for freedom in America, 
including— 
(i) the Statue of Liberty National 
Monument; and 
(ii) Ellis Island National Monument;
(C) provided key support to the Presi-
dential Study Commission for the National Mu-
seum of African American History and Culture; 
and 
(D) is well-suited to assume a leadership 
role with respect to the creation of an African 
Burial Ground International Memorial Mu-
seum. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the General 
Services Administration. 
(2) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Advisory 
Council’’ means the African Burial Ground Advisory 
Council established by section 8(a). 
(3) CITY.—The term ‘‘City’’ means the city of 
New York, New York. 
(4) HISTORIC SITE.—The term ‘‘Historic Site’’ 
means the African Burial Ground National Historic 
Site established by section 4(a). 
(5) MUSEUM.—The term ‘‘Museum’’ means the 
African Burial Ground International Memorial Mu-
seum established by section 5(a).
(6) NATIONAL
LANDMARK.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Landmark’’ means the African Burial Ground 
National Historic Landmark in New York, New 
York. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the National Park Service. 
(8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of New York. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In accordance with the Act of 
August 25, 1916 (commonly known as the ‘‘National Park 
Service Organic Act’’) (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), there is estab-
lished as a unit of the National Park System within the 
National Landmark the African Burial Ground National 
Historic Site. 
(b) BOUNDARIES.—The National Historic Site shall 
include— 
(1) the property located at 290 Broadway, New 
York, New York, which is under the jurisdiction of 
the Administrator; and 
(2) any property adjoining the property de-
scribed in paragraph (1) or within the National 
Landmark that is acquired by the Secretary under 
section 6.
SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEMORIAL MUSEUM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established at the 
Historic Site a memorial museum and visitor’s center, to 
be known as the ‘‘African Burial Ground International 
Memorial Museum’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Museum are— 
(1) to serve as a permanent living memorial— 
(A) to the enslaved that are buried at the 
Historic Site; and 
(B) other African Americans that were 
enslaved; 
(2) to examine the African cultural traditions 
brought to the United States by the enslaved; 
(3) to explore in-depth the institution of slavery 
in the United States and other parts of the world; 
and 
(4) to provide a space for— 
(A) permanent and temporary exhibits; 
and 
(B) the collection and study of artifacts 
and documents; and 
(5) to encourage collaboration between the Mu-
seum and the National Museum of African American 
History and Culture, other museums, historically 
black colleges and universities, historical societies, 
educational institutions, and other appropriate enti-
ties and organizations, including collaboration with 
respect to— 
(A) the development of cooperative pro-
grams and exhibitions, including through dig-
ital, electronic, and interactive technologies; 
(B) the identification, management, and 
care of Museum collections; and 
(C) the training of Museum and National 
Park Service professionals and other persons 
concerned with heritage preservation. 
(c) ASSOCIATION WITH NATIONAL MUSEUM.—The 
Museum shall become associated with the National Mu-
seum of African American History and Culture, in a man-
ner to be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Advisory Council and the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution. 
SEC. 6. SITE ACQUISITION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Administrator, the Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution, the City, the State, and the Advisory Council, 
shall— 
(1) acquire a site for the Historic Site; and 
(2) plan, design, and construct the Museum at 
the Historic Site.
(b) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Secretary shall pay 2⁄3 
of the total costs of— 
(1) acquiring a site for the Historic Site; and 
(2) planning, designing, constructing, recon-
structing, and renovating, as applicable, the Mu-
seum. 
(c) CONTRACTING AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary and the Ad-
ministrator may enter into any agreements with 
each other, the City, the State, and other parties 
that are necessary for acquisition, by donation or 
other means, of sites for— 
(A) establishing the Historic Site; and 
(B) planning, designing, constructing, re-
constructing, and renovating, as applicable, the 
Museum. 
(2) SITE ACQUISITION.—Sites for the Historic 
Site and Museum may be acquired by— 
(A) the Administrator transferring to the 
Secretary the open space located behind the 
Federal office building at 290 Broadway, and 
bounded by Duane and Elk Streets, in the City; 
and 
(B) purchase or long-term lease by the 
Secretary of property located in close proximity
to the open space described in subparagraph 
(1). 
SEC. 7. OPERATION OF THE MEMORIAL MUSEUM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Advisory Council, shall operate the Museum. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Advisory Council, may— 
(1) purchase, accept, borrow, and otherwise ac-
quire artifacts for the collections of the Museum; 
(2) loan, exchange, sell, and otherwise dispose 
of any part of the collections of the Museum, if the 
proceeds of the disposition are used for additions to 
the collections of the Museum; 
(3) specify criteria with respect to the use of 
the collections and resources of the Museum, includ-
ing policies on programming, education, exhibitions, 
and research; 
(4) provide for preservation, restoration, and 
maintenance of the collections of the Museum; 
(5) solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, be-
quests, and devises of real and personal property for 
the purpose of facilitating the work of the Museum; 
(6) contract with such parties as may be nec-
essary to facilitate the operation of the Museum;
(7) administer the Historic Site and Museum as 
a unit of the National Park System in accordance 
with— 
(A) this Act; and 
(B) the laws generally applicable to units 
of the National Park System, including the Act 
of August 25, 1916 (commonly known as the 
‘‘National Park Service Organic Act’’) (16 
U.S.C. 1 et seq.); and 
(8) conduct any other activities that are nec-
essary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 8. ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the Department of the Interior an advisory council to be 
known as the ‘‘African Burial Ground Advisory Council’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Advisory Council shall 
be composed of the following members or their des-
ignees: 
(A) The Secretary, who shall serve as 
Chairperson of the Advisory Council. 
(B) The Director of the National Park 
Service. 
(C) The Secretary of the Smithsonian In-
stitution.