Sponsors (2)
Official title: Establish the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center in New York, New York, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 25, 2025 by Kirsten Gillibrand · Last progress February 25, 2025
The bill secures a federally supported museum, memorial, and expanded monument to preserve and teach the African Burial Ground’s history and strengthen community voice and research partnerships, but it requires new federal and local spending and raises ethical, oversight, infrastructure, and administrative risks that will need careful management.
Students, schools, researchers, and the general public gain a permanent museum, visitor center, and educational programs that improve public access to the history of the African Burial Ground and slavery.
Descendant and Black communities receive a formal, lasting memorial and structured advisory roles that recognize the people buried at the site and ensure community perspectives inform planning and preservation.
Lower Manhattan and nearby local economies could see increased cultural tourism and economic revitalization from a nationally recognized memorial and museum.
Taxpayers face new federal spending (including $15 million in FY2025) and potentially open‑ended future obligations to acquire land, construct, staff, and operate the Museum and expanded monument.
Use, study, curation, or disposition of human remains and artifacts raises privacy, ethical, and cultural integrity concerns and could prompt disputes with descendants and Black communities over interpretation, ownership, and appropriate treatment.
Construction, increased visitation, and expanding the National Monument footprint could strain local infrastructure, public services, and change land‑use plans or limit private development options in Lower Manhattan.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Creates the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center, authorizes NPS property acquisition and management, an advisory council, director/staff appointments, and funding ( $15M FY2025 + necessary sums).
Creates the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at the African Burial Ground National Monument in Lower Manhattan, directs the National Park Service to acquire adjacent property as needed, and charges the Interior Secretary with planning, constructing, operating, and managing the museum in consultation with a newly created Advisory Council and local partners. Authorizes a Director and limited exempt staff appointments, authorizes $15 million for FY2025 and such sums as necessary thereafter (including for site acquisition), and permits federal, state, local, and private partnerships for programming, collections, preservation, and educational outreach.