Black Wall Street Monument Bill Prioritizes Descendant Voices in New National Park Designation

This legislation, officially titled the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act, creates a new National Monument in Oklahoma and folds it into the National Park System. The core mission is to preserve and educate the public about the resources connected to the Historic Greenwood District, Black Wall Street, and the devastating Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 (SEC. 3).

Essentially, the federal government is stepping in to give this critical piece of American history the highest level of protection and recognition. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with acquiring the land—through donation, purchase, or exchange—that falls within the specific boundaries laid out on the official map (Map number 196188,275, dated August 2024). Once enough land is secured to make the Monument manageable, the Secretary has 30 days to formally announce its establishment.

The Voices Guiding the Monument

One of the most significant parts of this bill is the creation of the Historic Greenwood District/Black Wall Street National Monument Advisory Commission (SEC. 5). This 11-member group will advise the Secretary on how to develop and manage the site, including where to put visitor centers. Crucially, seven of the 11 members must be descendants of people who were living or working in the Greenwood District in 1921. Three others will be historic preservation experts, and one will be recommended by the Mayor of Tulsa.

This structure ensures that the people most directly affected by the history being preserved have a strong, majority voice in how the story is told and how the site is run. For the descendants, this means their family history and community memory will be central to the monument’s mission, rather than an afterthought. The Commission members won't get a salary, but they will be reimbursed for travel expenses, allowing more people to participate without absorbing personal costs.

Administration and the Three-Year Plan

Running a National Monument isn't just about putting up a sign. The Secretary must manage the site under the standard rules of the National Park System (SEC. 4). More importantly, they have a strict deadline: a comprehensive management plan for the Monument must be ready no later than three years after funding becomes available. This plan, which will be the rulebook for the site, must be developed in consultation with the new Advisory Commission (SEC. 4).

This three-year clock gives the National Park Service a clear target for development, meaning we should see educational programs, interpretive displays, and necessary infrastructure planned out relatively quickly. The bill also allows the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with public or private groups to help with education and technical assistance, ensuring that local expertise can be leveraged.

Protecting Private Owners and a Note on Oversight

For anyone owning property near or even inside the proposed boundaries, the bill is clear: nothing in this law changes the rights of private property owners (SEC. 3). The government can only acquire land from willing sellers, accepting donations, or through land trades. This is a key protection for residents and businesses who might be adjacent to the new park unit.

One detail worth noting is that the Advisory Commission is exempted from certain federal rules governing advisory committees (specifically Section 1013(b) of title 5, U.S. Code). While this might streamline operations, it means the Commission's internal workings and meetings might have reduced transparency compared to other federal advisory bodies. However, given the focus on descendant input, the trade-off appears to be prioritizing community control over standard federal oversight norms for this specific group. The Commission itself is temporary and will automatically shut down 10 years after the Monument officially opens (SEC. 5).