S-1051-119
Held at the desk.
Sponsored by James Lankford (R-OK)
What it does
This bill would establish the Historic Greenwood District–Black Wall Street National Monument in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a unit of the National Park System. The Secretary of the Interior would be authorized to acquire land within the monument boundary by donation, purchase from willing sellers, or exchange — but not by eminent domain. The bill would also create an 11-member advisory commission, with a majority of seats reserved for descendants of people who lived or worked in the Greenwood District in 1921, to advise on monument development and management. The commission would terminate 10 years after the monument is established.
Who benefits
Descendants of Greenwood District residents and survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, who would gain formal federal recognition of that history. Tulsa-area tourism businesses, hotels, restaurants, and local retailers that would likely see increased visitor traffic. Oklahoma's broader heritage tourism sector. Historians, educators, and students who would gain a federally supported interpretive site. The National Park Service, which would expand its portfolio of sites commemorating African American history. Local property owners near the monument, who may see increased property values.
Who is hurt
Private landowners within the proposed monument boundary who may face uncertainty about future land use, even though the bill explicitly prohibits forced acquisition. Taxpayers who would bear the costs of land acquisition, monument construction, and ongoing administration, though the bill does not specify an appropriations amount. Other National Park Service units competing for limited NPS operational budgets. Landowners or developers with existing or planned commercial interests in the designated area who may face reduced flexibility.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre — in which a prosperous African American community was destroyed, hundreds were killed, and thousands were displaced — is one of the most significant and underrecognized events in American history. They contend that federal monument designation would provide the resources, permanence, and national visibility needed to ensure this history is preserved and taught, noting that the site currently lacks the institutional infrastructure of comparable historical sites. They further argue that the bill's willing-seller-only acquisition provision and explicit private property protections make it a narrowly tailored, community-supported approach.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that establishing a new National Park Service unit adds to an already underfunded system — the NPS currently faces a maintenance backlog estimated at over $22 billion — and that creating additional monuments without dedicated, sustained funding may result in inadequate stewardship. They contend that state, local, or private preservation efforts, such as the existing Greenwood Cultural Center, may be better positioned to manage the site with community accountability and without federal bureaucratic constraints. They further argue that the open-ended land acquisition authority, conditioned only on the Secretary's discretion, provides insufficient congressional oversight over how federal funds are ultimately spent.