A bill to establish the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in the State of Arkansas, and for other purposes.
PL 105-356 (S.2232), enacted 11/06/1998

112 STAT. 3268 
PUBLIC LAW 105-356—NOV. 6, 1998 
Public Law 105-356 
105th Congress 
An Act 
Nov. 6, 1998 
To establish the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in the 
[S. 2232] 
State of Arkansas, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
16 use 461 note 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
[table]. 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision of 
Brown v. Board of Education, which mandated an end to the 
segregation of public schools, was one of the most significant 
Court decisions in the history of the United States. 
(2) the admission of nine African-American students, 
known as the "Little Rock Nine", to Little Rock's Central High 
School as a result of the Brown decision, was the most promi-
nent national example of the implementation of the Brown 
decision, and served as a catalyst for the integration of other, 
previously segregated public schools in the United States; 
(3) 1997 marked the 70th anniversary of the construction 
of Central High School, which has been named by the American 
Institute of i^chitects as "the most beautiful high school build-
ing in America"; 
(4) Central High School was included on the National Reg-
ister of Historic Places in 1977 and designated by the Secretary 
of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark in 1982 in 
recognition of its national significance in the development of 
the Civil Rights movement in the United States; and 
(5) the designation of Little Rock Central High School 
as a unit of the National Park System will recognize the signifi-
cant role the school played in the desegregation of public schools 
in the South and will interpret for future generations the 
events associated with early desegregation of southern schools. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to preserve, protect, 
and interpret for the benefit, education, and inspiration of present 
and future generations. Central High School in Little Rock, 
Arkansas, and its role in the integration of public schools and 
the development of the Civil Rights movement in the United States. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL HIS-
TORIC SITE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Little Rock Central High School 
National Historic Site in the State of Arkansas (hereinafter referred 
to as the "historic site") is hereby established as a unit of the 
National Park System. The historic site shall consist of lands and 
interests therein comprising the Central High School campus and 
PUBLIC LAW 105-356—NOV. 6, 1998 
112 STAT. 3269 
adjacent properties in Little Rock, Arkansas, as generally depicted 
on a map entitled "Proposed Little Rock Central High School 
National Historic Site", numbered LIRO-20,000 and dated July, 
1998. Such map shall be on file and available for public inspection 
in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.—The Secretary of 
the 
Interior (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") shall administer 
the historic site in accordance with this Act. Only those lands 
under the direct jurisdiction of the Secretary shall be administered 
in accordance with the provisions of law generally applicable to 
units of the National Park System including the Act of August 
25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2-4) and the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 
U.S.C. 461-467). Nothing in this Act shall affect the authority 
of the Little Rock School District to administer Little Rock Central 
High School nor shall this Act affect the authorities of the City 
of Little Rock in the neighborhood surrounding the school. 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—(1) The Secretary may enter 
into cooperative agreements with appropriate public and private 
agencies, organizations, and institutions (including, but not limited 
to, the State of Arkansas, the City of Little Rock, the Little Rock 
School District, Central High Museum, Inc., Central High Neighbor-
hood, Inc., or the University of Arkansas) in furtherance of the 
purposes of this Act. 
(2) The Secretary shall coordinate visitor interpretation of the 
historic site with the Little Rock School District and the Central 
High School Museum, Inc. 
(d) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—^Within three years after Deadline, 
the date funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare 
a general management plan for the historic site. The plan shall 
be prepared in consultation and coordination with the Little Rock 
School District, the City of Little Rock, Central High Museum, 
Inc., and with other appropriate organizations and agencies. The 
plan shall identify specific roles and responsibilities for the National 
Park Service in administering the historic site, and shall identify 
lands or property, if any, that might be necessary for the National 
Park Service to acquire in order to carry out its responsibilities. 
The plan shall also identify the roles and responsibilities of other 
entities in administering the historic site and its programs. The 
plan shall include a management framework that ensures the 
administration of the historic site does not interfere with the 
continuing use of Central High School as an educational institution. 
(e) ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY.—^The Secretary is authorized 
to acquire by purchase with donated or appropriated funds by 
exchange, or donation the lands and interests therein located within 
the boundaries of the historic site: Provided, That the Secretary 
may only acquire lands or interests therein within the consent 
of the owner thereof: Provided further. That lands or interests 
therein owned by the State of Arkansas or a political subdivision 
thereof, may only be acquired by donation or exchange. 
SEC. 3. DESEGREGATION IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THEME STUDY. 
(a) THEME STUDY.—Within two years after the date funds are 
made available, the Secretary shall prepare and transmit to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and 
the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives a 
National Historic Landmark Theme Study (hereinafter referred to 
as the "theme study") on the history of desegregation in public 
Deadline. 
112 STAT. 3270 
PUBLIC LAW 105-356—NOV. 6, 1998 
education. The purpose of the theme study shall be to identify 
sites, districts, buildings, structures, and landscapes that best illus-
trate or commemorate key events or decisions in the historical 
movement to provide for racial desegregation in public education. 
On the basis of the theme study, the Secretary shall identify possible 
new national historic landmarks appropriate to this theme and 
prepare a list in order of importance or merit of the most appro-
priate sites for national historic landmark designation. 
(b) OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.—^The theme 
study shall identify appropriate means to establish linkages 
between sites identified in subsection (a) and between those sites 
and the Central High School National Historic Site established 
in section 2, and with other existing units of the National Park 
System to maximize opportunities for public education and scholarly 
research on desegregation in public education. The theme study 
also shall recommend opportunities for cooperative arrangements 
with State and local governments, educational institutions, local 
historical organizations, and other appropriate entities to preserve 
and interpret key sites in the history of desegregation in public 
education. 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with one or more educational institutions, 
public history organizations, or civil rights organizations knowledge-
able about desegregation in public education to prepare the theme 
study and to ensure that the theme study meets scholarly stand-
ards. 
(d) THEME STUDY COORDINATION WITH GENERAL MANAGEMENT 
PLAN.—^The theme study shall be prepared as part of the prepara-
tion and development of the general management plan for the 
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site established 
in section 2. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out this Act. 
Approved November 6, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2232: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-307 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
Oct. 2, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 8, considered and passed House. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 34 (1998): 
Nov. 6, Presidential remarks.