The crown jewel on the campus of Allen University, a historically black college in Columbia, South Carolina, is Arnett Hall.  This structure was designed by an African-American architect, built by the students themselves, and completed in June 1891.  However, a century later, the campus’ most notable structure stood boarded up and on the verge of destruction. 

            In 1996, I secured passage of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Preservation Program, which authorized the National Parks Service to spend $29 million to renovate and preserve historic structures on these campuses.  Allen University received $2.9 million to refurbish Arnett Hall, which at the time had been listed as the most endangered historic site in South Carolina by the State Department of Archives and History.  I am happy to report the building has been saved, preserved to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards, and shines as a beacon in that part of Columbia.  Ministers Hall at Claflin University in Orangeburg, and Massachusetts Hall at Voorhees College in Denmark are also beneficiaries of this initiative. 

            Following the initial allocation, I initiated a Congressional Black Caucus request of the General Accounting Office (GAO) to conduct a study in 1997 to determine the projected cost of preserving all threatened historic sites at the 103 HBCU’s.  I was asked to coordinate that study with the GAO.  It took one solid year to complete, but the study was very comprehensive and very objective.  The GAO identified 712 historic sites on the campuses, with a projected preservation cost of $755 million.  Of course that’s a lot of money, even in Washington.  But the need has been documented.

            In the 107^th Congress, I have introduced a bill to authorize 70% of that total cost.  The vast majority of these colleges have had a very difficult time raising a dollar for dollar match. Consequently many of these college presidents would prefer a grant, but I believe it is important for the schools themselves to feel vested in the project, so HR 1606 requires a 30% match.

           Securing the authorization will allow the campuses with structures identified for preservation to do strategic planning.  If these schools were able to point to the federal government’s commitment to cover 70% of the preservation costs alumni and potential donors would be more amenable to contributing the matching funds for the projects. 

Should this bill become law it would be unrealistic for anyone to expect full appropriation in the near term.  It will take many years and a strong commitment to meet the need the GAO has documented.  But without this bill becoming law, we cannot even begin.

On November 1^st, I testified on behalf of this legislation before the House Subcommittee that oversees National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands, and was met with a positive response and the support of the Subcommittee’s Ranking Member, our CBC colleague, Donna Christian-Christensen.  During my testimony, I made it clear that there is no issue of jurisdiction before the House Resources Committee that is more important to the Congressional Black Caucus. However, this is just the first step in a long and arduous process.

I have been a leading advocate of historic preservation since coming to Washington, but of all my work I am most proud of this HBCU Historic Preservation Program.  Many of these campuses date back for more than a century.  The history contained within their hallowed halls is as rich and diverse as the students who passed through them.  The need is great; and the results will be well worth the investment. 

#   #   #