Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my colleague from Arkansas Congressman French Hill's bill, H.R. 2611, that will modify the boundary of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site to include seven residences on South Park Street in Little Rock, Arkansas.

While this bill would authorize the National Park Service to enter into cooperative agreements with private property owners of the South Street properties, H.R. 2611 will do more. It will also help us to remember. It will help us to remember that on September 25, 1957, nine young people, with Federal troops for escorts, bravely walked past crowds of hatred, bigotry, emotional degradation, and even physical abuse to desegregate Little Rock Central High School.

On that historic day in 1957, nine young people showed the United States and the world that we were and are
better than segregation and better than racism and injustice. They proved to the world that, as Americans, we really do believe the Declaration of Independence when it says that all men are created equal.

I believe that allowing the historical residences surrounding Little Rock Central High School to slip into disrepair or oblivion would be a severe injustice to those who gave of themselves to further the cause of civil rights and equality.

I would like to thank my colleague from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for their work on this important issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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