H.R. 8887

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8887 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8887

To establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National 
Historical Park, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 19, 2026

Mr. Davis of Illinois (for himself, Mr. Cohen, and Mr. Clyburn) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National 
Historical Park, 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 ``Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald 
Schools National Historical Park Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to establish a unit of the National Park System--
(A) to commemorate the life and legacy of Julius 
Rosenwald, who--
(i) was the son of German-Jewish 
immigrants;
(ii) helped make Sears, Roebuck and Co. the 
leading retailer in the United States for many 
years;
(iii) used his enormous fortune to become a 
visionary philanthropist; and
(iv) partnered with Booker T. Washington 
and approximately 5,000 African American 
communities in the segregated South to build 
schools for children who had few or no 
educational opportunities;
(B) to recognize the impact of the Rosenwald 
Schools, which--
(i) were constructed between 1912 and 1932 
in 15 States; and
(ii) educated more than 600,000 African 
American children, including a number of 
graduates who became leaders in the civil 
rights movement, such as--
(I) Representative John Lewis;
(II) Maya Angelou;
(III) Medgar Evers;
(IV) Nina Simone; and
(V) Carlotta Walls LaNier; and
(C) to honor other important parts of the legacy of 
Julius Rosenwald, including--
(i) the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which--
(I) between 1928 and 1948, awarded 
fellowships to nearly 900 talented men 
and women--
(aa) \2/3\ of whom were 
African Americans; and
(bb) including--

(AA) Marian 
Anderson;

(BB) Langston 
Hughes;

(CC) Ralph Bunche;

(DD) James Baldwin;

(EE) Dr. Charles 
Drew;

(FF) Drs. Kenneth 
and Mamie Phipps Clark;

(GG) Ralph Ellison; 
and

(HH) Woody Guthrie;

(II) supported early legal cases of 
the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People that led 
to the Supreme Court opinion in Brown 
v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 
U.S. 483 (1954); and
(III) provided support for a 
significant number of historically 
Black colleges and universities, 
particularly to train teachers;
(ii) the founding, and service as the first 
president of, the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Chicago;
(iii) service as a member of the board of 
Jane Addams' Hull House for 20 years;
(iv) being the founding donor of the 
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry; and
(v) otherwise embodying social justice;
(2) to preserve a small number of representative sites of 
the Rosenwald Schools (including the San Domingo School in 
Sharptown, Maryland, a 3-teacher restored school built during 
the Tuskegee phase of the Rosenwald School program, the Saint 
George Rosenwald School in Saint George, South Carolina, a 6-
teacher restored school built during the Julius Rosenwald Fund 
phase of the Rosenwald School program, and the Woodville 
Rosenwald School in Gloucester County, Virginia, a restored 2-
teacher school built during the Julius Rosenwald Fund phase of 
the Rosenwald School program) and to establish a headquarters 
and visitor center for the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald 
Schools National Historical Park within or near the former 
Sears Merchandising Complex in North Lawndale in the city of 
Chicago, Illinois, to enlighten visitors on--
(A) the overall life and legacy of Julius 
Rosenwald; and
(B) the ways in which the Rosenwald Schools--
(i) significantly improved African American 
education in the South; and
(ii) helped to make the United States a 
more democratic society; and
(3) to establish a network in the National Park Service to 
connect the remaining Rosenwald Schools to disseminate more 
fully the story of the Rosenwald Schools throughout the United 
States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map prepared under 
section 4(b)(2)(A).
(2) Network.--The term ``Network'' means the Rosenwald 
Schools National Network established under section 5(a)(1).
(3) Park.--The term ``Park'' means the Julius Rosenwald and 
Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park established by 
section 4(a)(1).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of the Interior.

SEC. 4. JULIUS ROSENWALD AND ROSENWALD SCHOOLS NATIONAL HISTORICAL 
PARK.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is 
established as a unit of the National Park System the Julius 
Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park.
(2) Determination by the secretary.--
(A) Date of establishment.--The Park shall not be 
established until the date on which the Secretary 
determines that a sufficient quantity of land or 
interests in land within the boundary of the Park has 
been acquired to constitute a manageable unit.
(B) Federal register notice.--The Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register notice of a 
determination under subparagraph (A).
(b) Boundary; Map.--
(1) Boundary.--The Park shall consist of the following:
(A) The 40-acre site selected for the Sears 
merchandising complex constructed in 1905-1906, which 
includes the original Sears Administration Building, 
the catalog building, the power plant, and the Nichols 
Tower, which now comprise the Sears Roebuck and Company 
Complex National Historic Landmark, and the Sears 
Sunken Garden directly across the street from the Sears 
Administration Building.
(B) The San Domingo Rosenwald School in Sharptown, 
Maryland, as generally depicted on the Map.
(C) The Saint George Rosenwald School in Saint 
George, South Carolina, as generally depicted on the 
Map.
(D) The Woodville Rosenwald School in Gloucester 
County, Virginia, as generally depicted on the Map.
(E) Any Rosenwald School or other area designated 
by Congress to be included in the Park after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
(2) Map.--
(A) In general.--As soon as practicable after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
prepare a map of the boundary of the Park.
(B) Availability.--The Map shall be on file and 
available for public inspection in the appropriate 
offices of the National Park Service.
(c) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall administer land within 
the boundary of the Park in accordance with--
(A) this section; and
(B) the laws generally applicable to units of the 
National Park System, including--
(i) sections 100101(a), 100751(a), 100752, 
100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States 
Code; and
(ii) chapters 1003 and 3201 of title 54, 
United States Code.
(2) Contributing resources.--For the purposes of 
establishing the Park, the following properties shall be 
associated with the Park but shall not be transferred to, or 
directly managed by, the National Park Service:
(A) The Saint George Rosenwald School in Saint 
George, South Carolina.
(B) The Woodville Rosenwald School in Gloucester 
County, Virginia.
(3) Cooperative agreements.--
(A) In general.--To further the purposes of this 
section and notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, 
United States Code, the Secretary may enter into 
cooperative agreements with the State of Illinois, the 
city of Chicago, the States of Maryland, South 
Carolina, and Virginia, other appropriate State and 
local government officials, and public and nonpublic 
entities, subject to subparagraph (B)--
(i) to support collaborative interpretive 
and educational programs at non-Federal 
historic properties within the boundary of the 
Park; and
(ii) to identify, interpret, and provide 
assistance for the preservation of non- Federal 
land within the boundary of the Park and at 
sites related to the Park but located outside 
the boundaries of the Park, including providing 
for--
(I) the placement of directional 
and interpretive signage;
(II) exhibits; and
(III) technology-based and other 
interpretive devices.
(B) Public access.--A cooperative agreement entered 
into under this paragraph shall provide for reasonable 
public access to any property subject to the 
cooperative agreement.
(4) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may use appropriated 
funds to carry out a project to mark, interpret, 
improve, restore, or provide technical assistance with 
respect to the preservation and interpretation of any 
property that is subject to a cooperative agreement 
under paragraph (3).
(B) Inconsistent purposes.--Any payment made by the 
Secretary under this section shall be subject to an 
agreement that the conversion, use, or disposal of a 
project carried out under subparagraph (A) for purposes 
that are inconsistent with the purposes of this 
section, as determined by the Secretary, shall result 
in a right of the United States to reimbursement in an 
amount that is the greater of--
(i) the amount provided by the Secretary to 
the project; and
(ii) an amount equal to the increase in the 
value of the project that is attributable to 
the funds, as determined by the Secretary as of 
the date of the conversion, use, or disposal.
(5) Acquisition of land.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
Secretary may, within the National Historic Landmark 
District in Chicago, Illinois--
(i) acquire a facade or other easement 
interest on the Nichols Tower; and
(ii) enter into a lease or other agreement 
for purposes of providing for administration of 
the Park and appropriate visitor services.
(B) Outside of park boundary.--If the Secretary is 
unable to identify appropriate space for administration 
and visitor services in accordance with subparagraph 
(A)(ii), the Secretary may acquire the appropriate land 
or interests in land, or enter into other appropriate 
agreements, in the vicinity of, but outside the 
boundary of the Park, for administration and visitor 
services.
(C) Limitation.--The San Domingo School in 
Sharptown, Maryland, may only be acquired by the 
Secretary under this section by--
(i) donation;
(ii) purchase with donated funds; or
(iii) exchange.
(6) Interpretation.--To further the dissemination of 
information about the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald, with 
an emphasis on the partnership of Julius Rosenwald with Booker 
T. Washington and the approximately 5,000 communities in the 
South that led to the establishment and success of the 
Rosenwald Schools, the Secretary shall include interpretation 
of the story of Julius Rosenwald at--
(A) the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in the 
State of Illinois, within the boundary of which is 
located the childhood home of Julius Rosenwald; and
(B) the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site 
in the State of Alabama, which was founded by Booker T. 
Washington for the education of African Americans and 
at which architects designed the early Rosenwald 
Schools.
(7) Management plan.--Not later than 3 fiscal years after 
the date on which funds are first made available to carry out 
this section, the Secretary shall complete a general management 
plan for the Park in accordance with--
(A) section 100502 of title 54, United States Code; 
and
(B) any other applicable laws.

SEC. 5. ROSENWALD SCHOOLS NATIONAL NETWORK.

(a) In General.--The Secretary shall--
(1) establish, within the National Park Service, a program 
to be known as the ``Rosenwald Schools National Network'';
(2) as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of 
this Act, solicit proposals from sites, facilities, and 
programs interested in being a part of the Network; and
(3) administer the Network.
(b) Duties of the Secretary.--In carrying out the Network, the 
Secretary shall--
(1) review studies and reports to complement and not 
duplicate studies of the historical importance of the Rosenwald 
Schools;
(2) produce and disseminate appropriate educational and 
promotional materials relating to the life and work of Julius 
Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools that are part of the 
Network, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or 
electronic information;
(3) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and 
memoranda of understanding to provide assistance, as 
appropriate;
(4)(A) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or 
device for the Network; and
(B) issue regulations for the use of the symbol or device 
adopted under this paragraph;
(5) conduct research relating to the Rosenwald Schools;
(6) make recommendations for any additional Rosenwald 
School sites that should be considered for inclusion within the 
Park due to the significance, integrity, and need for 
management by the National Park Service of the sites; and
(7) have the authority to provide grants to Network 
elements described in subsection (c).
(c) Elements.--The Network shall encompass the following elements:
(1) All units and programs of the National Park Service 
that are determined by the Secretary to relate to the story of 
Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools.
(2) Other Federal, State, local, and privately owned 
properties that the Secretary determines--
(A) relate to Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald 
Schools; and
(B) are included, or determined by the Secretary to 
be eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of 
Historic Places.
(3) Other governmental and nongovernmental sites, 
facilities, and programs of an educational, research, or 
interpretive nature that are directly related to Julius 
Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools.
(d) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.--To 
achieve the purposes of this section and to ensure effective 
coordination of the Federal and non-Federal elements of the Network and 
units and programs of the National Park Service, the Secretary may 
enter into cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding with, 
and provide technical assistance to, the heads of other Federal 
agencies, States, units of local government, regional governmental 
bodies, and private entities.
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