§ 469l. — Findings and purposes.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC469l]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 1A--HISTORIC SITES, BUILDINGS, OBJECTS, AND ANTIQUITIES
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 469l. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end of
the 18th century to the end of the Civil War, was one of the most
significant expressions of the American civil rights movement during
its evolution over more than three centuries.
(2) The Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race,
religion, sectional differences, and nationality; spanned State
lines and international borders; and joined the American ideals of
liberty and freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and
the Constitution to the extraordinary actions of ordinary men and
women working in common purpose to free a people.
(3) Pursuant to title VI of Public Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5
note; 104 Stat. 4495), the Underground Railroad Advisory Committee
conducted a study of the appropriate means of establishing an
enduring national commemorative Underground Railroad program of
education, example, reflection, and reconciliation.
(4) The Underground Railroad Advisory Committee found that--
(A) although a few elements of the Underground Railroad
story are represented in existing National Park Service units
and other sites, many sites are in imminent danger of being lost
or destroyed, and many important resource types are not
adequately represented and protected;
(B) there are many important sites which have high potential
for preservation and visitor use in 29 States, the District of
Columbia, and the Virgin Islands;
(C) no single site or route completely reflects and
characterizes the Underground Railroad, since its story and
associated resources involve networks and regions of the country
rather than individual sites and trails; and
(D) establishment of a variety of partnerships between the
Federal Government and other levels of government and the
private sector would be most appropriate for the protection and
interpretation of the Underground Railroad.
(5) The National Park Service can play a vital role in
facilitating the national commemoration of the Underground Railroad.
(6) The story and significance of the Underground Railroad can
best engage the American people through a national program of the
National Park Service that links historic buildings, structures, and
sites; routes, geographic areas, and corridors; interpretive
centers, museums, and institutions; and programs, activities,
community projects, exhibits, and multimedia materials, in a manner
that is both unified and flexible.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of sections 469l to 469l-2 of this title are the
following:
(1) To recognize the importance of the Underground Railroad, the
sacrifices made by those who used the Underground Railroad in search
of freedom from tyranny and oppression, and the sacrifices made by
the people who helped them.
(2) To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate and
facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to commemorate, honor,
and interpret the history of the Underground Railroad, its
significance as a crucial element in the evolution of the national
civil rights movement, and its relevance in fostering the spirit of
racial harmony and national reconciliation.
(Pub. L. 105-203, Sec. 2, July 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 678.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 469l-1, 469l-2 of this
title.
