104 STAT. 4496                                            PUBLIC LAW 101-628—NOV. 28, 1990

TITLE VI—UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STUDY

Historic preservation

16 USC 1a-5

note

SEC. 601. PURPOSE 

The purpose of this title is to study the Underground Railroad, its routes and operations in order to preserve and interpret this aspect of American history.

SEC. 602. (a) The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, shall conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the Underground Railroad; the approximate routes taken by slaves escaping to freedom before the conclusion of the Civil War. The study shall include—

(1)   the consideration of the establishment of a new unit of the national park system;

(2)   the consideration of the establishment of various appropriate designations for those routes and sites utilized by the Underground Railroad, and alternative means to link those sites, including in Canada and Mexico;

(3)   recommendations for cooperative arrangements with State and local governments, local historical organizations, and other entities; and cost estimates for the alternatives.

            (b) The study shall be—

(1)   conducted with public involvement and in consultation with the advisory committee established by section 4, State and local officials, scholarly and other interested organizations and individuals,

(2)   completed no later than two years after the date on which funds are made available for the study, and

(3)   submitted to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

SEC. 603. Within three years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, shall prepare and publish an interpretive handbook on the Underground Railroad in the larger context of American antebellum society, including the history of slavery and abolitionism.

SEC. 604. (a) The Secretary, upon funds being made available to carry out this title, shall establish the Underground Railroad Advisory Committee (hereafter in this subsection referred to as the (“Advisory Committee”). The Advisory Committee shall be composed of nine members, appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, of whom—

(1)   three shall have expertise in African-American History;

(2)   two shall have expertise in historic preservation;

(3) three shall be from the general public.

The Advisory Committee shall designate one of its members as Chairperson.

(b) The Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee, shall from time to time, but at least on three occasions, meet and consult with the Advisory Committee on matters relating to the study conducted under section 2.

(c) Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve without compensation as such, but the Secretary may pay expenses reasonably incurred in carrying out their responsibilities under this Act on vouchers signed by the chairperson.

SEC. 605. There are authorized to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary to carry out this title.  

Appropriation 
Authorization          

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