Volume 106 · 3438
Public Law 102–525
To provide for the establishment of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in the State of Kansas, and for other purposes.
Approved October 26, 1992
Statutory text
An Act
To provide for the establishment of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in the State of Kansas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I— BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this title—
the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
The term “historic site” means the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site as established in section 103.
SEC. 102. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
Findings.—
The Congress finds as follows:
The Supreme Court, in 1954, ruled that the earlier 1896 Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson that permitted segregation of races in elementary schools violated the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law.
In the 1954 proceedings, Oliver Brown and twelve other plaintiffs successfully challenged an 1879 Kansas law that had been patterned after the law in question in Plessy v. Ferguson after the Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education refused to enroll Mr. Brown’s daughter, Linda.
Sumner Elementary, the all-white school that refused to enroll Linda Brown, and Monroe Elementary, the segregated school she was forced to attend, have subsequently been designated National Historic Landmarks in recognition of their national significance.
Sumner Elementary, an active school, is administered by the Topeka Board of Education; Monroe Elementary, closed in 1975 due to declining enrollment, is privately owned and stands vacant.
Purposes.—
The purposes of this title are—
to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations, the places that contributed materially to the landmark United States Supreme Court decision that brought an end to segregation in public education; and
to interpret the integral role of the Brown v. Board of Education case in the civil rights movement.
to assist in the preservation and interpretation of related resources within the city of Topeka that further the understanding of the civil rights movement.
SEC. 103. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION: BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
In General.—
There is hereby established as a unit of the National Park System the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in the State of Kansas.
Description.—
The historic site shall consist of the Monroe Elementary School site in the city of Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas, as generally depicted on a map entitled “Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site,” numbered Appendix A and dated June 1992. Such map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.
SEC. 104. PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
The Secretary is authorized to acquire by donation, exchange, or purchase with donated or appropriated funds the real property described in section 103(b). Any property owned by the States of Kansas or any political subdivision thereof may be acquired only by donation. The Secretary may also acquire by the same methods personal property associated with, and appropriate for, the interpretation of the historic site: Provided, however, That the Secretary may not acquire such personal property without the consent of the owner.
SEC. 105. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.
In General.—
The Secretary shall administer the historic site in accordance with this title and the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666).
Cooperative Agreements.—
The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with private as well as public agencies, organizations, and institutions in furtherance of the purposes of this title.
General Management Plan.—
Within two complete fiscal years after funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate a general management plan for the historic site.
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $1,250,000 to carry out the purposes of this title including land acquisition and initial development.
TITLE II— DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK.
In General.—
In order to preserve and protect for the education, inspiration, and enjoyment of present and future generations nationally significant natural, historic, scenic, marine, and scientific values in South Florida, there is hereby established the Dry Tortugas National Park (hereinafter in this title referred to as the “park”).
Area Included.—
The park shall consist of the lands, waters, and interests therein generally depicted on the map entitled “Boundary Map, Fort Jefferson National Monument”, numbered 364–90,001, and dated April 1980 (which is the map referenced by section 201 of Public Law 96–287). The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
Abolition of Monument.—
The Fort Jefferson National Monument is hereby abolished.
SEC. 202. ADMINISTRATION.
In General.—
The Secretary shall administer the park in accordance with this title and with the provisions of law generally applicable to units of the national park system, including the Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1, 2, 3, and 4).
Management Purposes.—
The park shall be managed for the following purposes, among others:
To protect and interpret a pristine subtropical marine ecosystem, including an intact coral reef community.
To protect populations of fish and wildlife, including (but not limited to) loggerhead and green sea turtles, sooty terns, frigate birds, and numerous migratory bird species.
To protect the pristine natural environment of the Dry Tortugas group of islands.
To protect, stabilize, restore, and interpret Fort Jefferson, an outstanding example of nineteenth century masonry fortification.
To preserve and protect submerged cultural resources.
In a manner consistent with paragraphs (1) through (5), to provide opportunities for scientific research.
SEC. 203. LAND ACQUISITION AND TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.
In General.—
Within the boundaries of the park the Secretary may acquire lands and interests in land by donation or exchange. For the purposes of acquiring property by exchange with the State of Florida, the Secretary may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, exchange those Federal lands which were deleted from the park by the boundary modifications enacted by section 201 of the Act of June 28, 1980 (Public Law 96–287), and which are directly adjacent to lands owned by the State of Florida outside of the park, for lands owned by the State of Florida within the park boundary.
United States Coast Guard Lands.—
When all or any substantial portion of lands under the administration of the United States Coast Guard located within the park boundaries, including Loggerhead Key, have been determined by the United States Coast Guard to be excess to its needs, such lands shall be transferred directly to the jurisdiction of the Secretary for the purposes of this title. The United States Coast Guard may reserve the right in such transfer to maintain and utilize the existing lighthouse on Loggerhead Key in a manner consistent with the purposes of the United States Coast Guard and the purposes of this title.
Administrative Site.—
The Secretary is authorized to lease or to acquire, by purchase, donation, or exchange, and to operate incidental administrative and support facilities in Key West, Florida, for park administration and to further the purposes of this title.
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this title. Any funds available for the purposes of the monument shall be available for the purposes of the park, and authorizations of funds for the monument shall be available for the park.
TITLE III— NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM ADVISORY COMMITTEES
SEC. 301. NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
Charter.—
The provisions of section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix; 86 Stat. 776) are hereby waived with respect to any advisory commission or advisory committee established by law in connection with any national park system unit during the period such advisory commission or advisory committee is authorized by law.
Members.—
In the case of any advisory commission or advisory committee established in connection with any national park system unit, any member of such Commission or Committee may serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor is appointed.
SEC. 302. MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA.
Section 703(i) of the Act of November 18, 1988 entitled “An Act to provide for the designation and conservation of certain lands in the States of Arizona and Idaho, and for other purposes” (Public Law 100–696; 102 Stat. 4602; 16 U.S.C. 460zz–2) is amended by striking “3 years after enactment of this Act” and inserting “3 years after appointment of the full membership of the Commission”.
SEC. 303. EXTENSION OF GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 5(g) of the Act approved October 27, 1972 (16 U.S.C. 460bb—4(g)), is amended by striking out “twenty years” and inserting in lieu thereof “thirty years”.
TITLE IV— NEW RIVER WILD AND SCENIC STUDY
SEC. 401. DESIGNATION OF NEW RIVER AS A STUDY RIVER.
Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(a)) is amended by adding the following new paragraph at the end thereof:
“( ) New River, West Virginia and Virginia.—
The segment defined by public lands commencing at the U.S. Route 460 bridge over the New River in Virginia to the maximum summer pool elevation (one thousand four hundred and ten feet above mean sea level) of Bluestone Lake in West Virginia; by the Secretary of the Interior. Nothing in this Act shall affect or impair the management of the Bluestone project or the authority of any department, agency or instrumentality of the United States to carry out the project purposes of that project as of the date of enactment of this paragraph. The study of the river segment identified in
Reports.
this paragraph shall be completed and reported on within one year after the date of enactment of this paragraph.”.
TITLE V— BOSTON HARBOR ISLANDS STUDY
SEC. 501. BOSTON HARBOR ISLANDS STUDY.
In General.—
The Secretary of the Interior shall, within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this title, conduct a study of the Boston Harbor Islands to assess the opportunities for the National Park Service to contribute to State, regional, and local efforts to promote the conservation of the Boston Harbor Islands and their use and enjoyment by the public. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall—
consult closely with and explore means for expanded cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, the Metropolitan District Commission, and the City of Boston;
evaluate the suitability of establishing the Boston Harbor Islands as a unit of the National Park System;
assess the opportunities for expanded tourism, public education, and visibility by managing the Boston Harbor Islands in conjunction with units of the National Park System in the vicinity, including the Adams National Historic Site in Quincy, Massachusetts; and
evaluate the possibility for developing ferry service and other transportation links among those units to enhance their public use and enjoyment.
Report.—
The Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Congress a report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study under subsection (a), by not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this title.
Approved October 26, 1992.