A bill has been introduced to designate the counties of the Black Belt region as National Heritage Area sites.
The bill, H.R. 5989, was introduced by Representatives Terri Sewell (AL-07), Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Martha Roby (AL-02) and Mike Rogers (AL-03). Companion legislation will be led by Senators Richard Shelby and Doug Jones in the Senate.
National Heritage Areas allow for sites deemed important for their history to be protected and are authorized to receive up to $1 million in federal funds for preservation and promotion.
If the bill passes, the University of West Alabama will collaborate with the National Park Service and Black Belt communities to come up with a “strategic management plan”.
“As the birthplace of America’s civil and voting rights movements, Alabama’s Black Belt has played an incredibly important role in shaping our nation’s history,” Sewell commented in an announcement. “The Alabama Black Belt Heritage Act will help make available more resources to ensure the sites and stories of the civil rights and voting rights movements are preserved for future generations.”
H.R. 5989 can be seen online.
