Blackwell School National Historic Site Act
Bill: H.R.4706 | Sponsor: Rep. Gonzales, Tony (R-TX)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Blackwell School National Historic Site Act
This bill establishes the Blackwell School National Historic Site in Texas as a unit of the National Park System to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit of present and future generations the Blackwell School, its role as both an academic and cultural cornerstone in the community in Marfa, Texas, and its function within a segregated system of education in Texas and the United States from 1885-1965.
The historic site shall not be established until the date on which the Department of the Interior has (1) entered into a written agreement with the Marfa Unified School District providing that the Blackwell School shall be donated to or placed by agreement into comanagement with the United States for inclusion in a national historic site to be managed consistently with the purposes of such a site, and (2) acquired sufficient land or interests in land within the boundaries of the historic site to constitute a manageable unit.
Interior may only acquire by donation, purchase with donated funds, or exchange any land or interest in land located within the boundary of the historic site.
The bill prohibits any private property or nonfederal public property from being included within the boundaries of the historic site or managed as part of such site without the written consent of the owner.
Interior shall prepare a general management plan for the historic site.

To establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, 
                     Texas, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Blackwell School National Historic 
Site Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) National historic site.--The term ``national historic 
        site'' means the Blackwell School, in Marfa, Texas.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The Blackwell School, located at 501 South Abbott 
        Street, in Marfa, Presidio County, Texas, is associated with 
        the period of racial segregation in Marfa public schools and is 
        the sole extant property directly associated with Hispanic 
        education in the community, the remaining buildings having been 
        torn down after the school closed in 1965.
            (2) The Blackwell School is a tangible reminder of a time 
        when the practice of ``separate but equal'' dominated education 
        and social systems. Despite being categorized as ``white'' by 
        Texas law, Mexican Americans were regularly excluded from 
        commingling with Anglos at barbershops, restaurants, funeral 
        homes, theaters, churches, and schools.
            (3) The spectrum of experiences of students and teachers at 
        the Blackwell School constitute an important record of life in 
        a segregated school in the context of the history of Texas and 
        America.
            (4) Mexican and Mexican American culture and history in 
        Marfa is tied to the Blackwell School, which for more than 50 
        years served as a leading feature of the Hispanic community, 
        illustrating the challenge of maintaining cultural identity in 
        a dominant Anglo society. Yet today, Hispanic influences are 
        seen in Marfa's social and religious organizations, business 
        and government institutions, and shared experiences of 
        language, food, and music.
            (5) The historic Blackwell School building is a physical 
        record of the longevity and beauty of the distinctive design 
        and craftsmanship informed by both traditional techniques and 
        materials, and the transition from purely the vernacular to the 
        period of materials, design, and workmanship made available 
        after the arrival of the railroad. The original historic school 
        building and grounds on which it stands provide an authentic 
        setting to commemorate and interpret the history of the 
        Blackwell School.
            (6) The Blackwell School is closely associated with the 
        broad patterns of local, State, and national history in the 
        area of school segregation. Mexicans and other members of the 
        Latin American diaspora have placed a high value upon education 
        as a means of economic, social, and political advancement.
            (7) Mexican Americans and other members of the Latin 
        American diaspora have placed a high value upon education as a 
        means of economic, social, and political advancement. However, 
        Hispanics and Latinos have not always had equitable 
        opportunities and access to quality educational facilities in 
        the United States.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BLACKWELL SCHOOL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is 
        established the Blackwell School National Historic Site in the 
        State of Texas as a unit of the National Park System to 
        preserve, protect and interpret for the benefit of present and 
        future generations the Blackwell School, its role as both an 
        academic and cultural cornerstone in the community in Marfa, 
        Texas, and its function within a segregated system of education 
        in Texas and the United States from 1885 through 1965.
            (2) Conditions.--The national historic site shall not be 
        established until the date on which the Secretary has--
                    (A) entered into a written agreement with the Marfa 
                Unified School District providing that the Blackwell 
                School shall be donated to or placed by agreement into 
                co-management with the United States for inclusion in a 
                national historic site to be managed consistently with 
                the purposes of a national historic site; and
                    (B) acquired sufficient land or interests in land 
                within the boundaries of the national historic site to 
                constitute a manageable unit.
    (b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the national historic site shall 
be the boundaries generally depicted on the map.
    (c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park 
Service.
    (d) Acquisition of Authority.--The Secretary may only acquire any 
land or interest in land located within the boundary of the national 
historic site by--
            (1) donation;
            (2) purchase with donated funds; or
            (3) exchange.
    (e) Administration.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer this 
        national historic site in accordance with--
                    (A) this Act; and
                    (B) the laws generally applicable to units of the 
                National Park System.
            (2) Management plan.--
                    (A) Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
                funds are first made available to the Secretary for 
                this purpose, the Secretary shall prepare a general 
                management plan for the national historic site in 
                accordance with section 100502 of title 54, United 
                States Code.
                    (B) Upon completion, the Secretary shall submit the 
                general management plan prepared pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) to the Committee on Natural Resources 
                of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
                Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
    (f) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary shall enter into 
cooperative agreements with the Blackwell School Alliance (and other 
local, regional, State, academic and nonprofit partners) for 
interpretive and educational programming, technical assistance, and 
rehabilitation related to the national historic site.
    (g) Written Consent of Owner.--No private property or non-Federal 
public property shall be included within the boundaries of the national 
historic site or managed as part of the national historic site without 
the written consent of the owner of such property.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 8, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.