,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cbej ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ac1 #bjai ,mr4 ,danny ,k4 ,davis of ,illinois 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,cohen1 ,mr4 ,lewis1 ,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,nadler1 ,ms4 ,bass1 and ,ms4 ,stevens7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,interior to conduct a special resource study of the sites associated with the life and legacy of the noted ,american philanthropist and business executive ,julius ,rosenwald1 with a special focus on the ,rosenwald ,schools1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,julius ,rosenwald and the ,rosenwald ,schools ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 ,julius ,rosenwald was born in #ahfb in ,springfield1 ,illinois1 to ,samuel ,rosenwald and his wife1 ,augusta ,hammerslough1 a ,jewish immigrant couple from ,germany2 7#b7 in #ahfh1 ,samuel ,rosenwald purchased the ,lyon ,house1 where ,julius grew up and lived with his family until the #ahhjs1 which-- 7,a7 was diagonally across the street from the home where ,abraham ,lincoln lived prior to becoming president2 and 7,b7 7i7 was restored recently before the date of enactment of this ,act2 and 7ii7 as of that date of enactment1 was within the boundary of the ,lincoln ,home ,national ,historic ,site1 a unit of the ,national ,park ,system2 7#c7 ,julius ,rosenwald-- 7,a7 learned the clothing trade with relatives in ,new ,york ,city2 and 7,b7 used that knowledge on moving to ,chicago1 where he became part-owner and president of ,sears1 ,roebuck ,company1 which-- 7i7 he transformed into a retailing powerhouse in the early #bjth century2 and 7ii7 could be considered the ,amazon of its day2 7#d7 the embodiment of the ,jewish concept of tzedakah1 righteousness and charity1 ,rosenwald used his fortune for numerous philanthropic activities1 particularly to enhance the lives of ,african ,americans1 including by-- 7,a7 providing #be1jjj for the construction of ,young ,men's ,christian ,associations 7commonly known as ,y,m,c,as7 for ,african ,americans during the ,jim ,crow era in cities that raised #ge1jjj2 and 7,b7 eventually1 supporting the construction of ,y,m,c,as in #bd cities across the ,united ,states2 7#e7 7,a7 after his introduction to ,booker ,t4 ,washington in #aiaa1 ,julius ,rosenwald-- 7i7 joined the ,board of ,trustees of the ,tuskegee ,institute2 and 7ii7 financially contributed to a pilot program to build #f schools in rural ,alabama for ,african-,american children who were receiving little to no education2 and 7,b7 the donations by ,rosenwald described in subparagraph 7,a7 were matched by the local ,african-,american communities that were committed to providing education for their children2 7#f7 7,a7 the success of the pilot program referred to in paragraph 7#e77;,a77ii7 led to the construction of more than #e1cjj ,rosenwald ,schools and related buildings over a #bj-year period in #ae southern ,states under the direction of the ,julius ,rosenwald ,fund2 7,b7 the schools described in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 were the result of a #c-way partnership among the ,julius ,rosenwald ,fund1 local communities that1 although generally poor1 contributed land1 labor1 materials1 and money to build and maintain the schools1 and local governments that were required by law to provide public schools for all children but divided funds unequally between ,black and ,white systems2 and 7ii7 often became the focus of great pride and affection among the applicable communities2 7,c7 during the #aibjs1 #aicjs1 and #aidjs1 #a_/c of all ,african-,american children in the ,south were educated in ,rosenwald ,schools2 7,d7 a #bjaa study by #b ,federal ,reserve economists concluded that the schools played a significant role in narrowing the gap between the educational levels of ,black and ,white students in the ,south2 and 7,e7 ,members of ,congress and poet ,maya ,angelou are among prominent graduates of ,rosenwald ,schools2 7#g7 the ,julius ,rosenwald ,fund-- 7,a7 supported early ,national ,association for the ,advancement of ,colored ,people cases that eventually led to the ,supreme ,court decision in ,brown v4 ,board of ,education of ,topeka1 #cdg ,u4,s4 #dhc 7#aied71 which outlawed segregation in public education2 and 7,b7 provided fellowships to talented ,african ,americans in the arts and sciences-- 7i7 including the acclaimed historian ,john ,hope ,franklin1 noted writer and civil rights activist ,w4,e4,b4 ,du ,bois1 artist ,jacob ,lawrence1 singer ,marian ,anderson1 diplomat ,ralph ,bunche1 and many others2 and 7ii7 some of whom worked under ,thurgood ,marshall on the ,supreme ,court case referred to in subparagraph 7,a72 7#h7 ,rosenwald also-- 7,a7 provided support for a number of ,historically ,black ,colleges and ,universities1 including ,fisk1 ,dillard1 and ,howard ,universities2 and 7,b7 used his wealth for other worthy causes1 including the creation of the ,jewish ,united ,fund of ,metropolitan ,chicago and the ,museum of ,science and ,industry in ,chicago2 and 7#i7 the contributions of ,julius ,rosenwald to improving the lives of ,african ,americans1 as well as the lives of those who reside in ,chicago and throughout the ,united ,states1 are worthy of recognition and further examination4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,rosenwald ,school ,the term ,rosenwald ,school means any of the #e1ceg schools and related buildings constructed in #ae southern ,states during the period of #aiab through #aicb by the philanthropy of ,julius ,rosenwald4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#c7 ,,shpo ,the term ,,shpo means the ,state ,historic ,preservation ,officer of any of the #ad ,states in which ,rosenwald ,schools exist as of the date of enactment of this ,act4 #d4 ,special resource study 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall conduct a special resource study of the sites associated with the life and legacy of ,julius ,rosenwald1 with special focus on the ,rosenwald ,schools4 7b7 ,contents ,in conducting the study under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 determine the sites of national significance associated with the life and legacy of businessman and noted philanthropist ,julius ,rosenwald1 with special focus on the ,rosenwald ,schools2 7#b7 give priority to studying any ,rosenwald ,school recommended to the ,secretary by an ,,shpo2 7#c7 determine the suitability and feasibility of designating one or more new units of the ,national ,park ,system to include representative ,rosenwald ,schools and other sites associated with the life and legacy of ,julius ,rosenwald1 including an interpretive center in or near ,chicago1 ,illinois-- 7,a7 to commemorate the career and overall philanthropic activities of ,rosenwald2 and 7,b7 to address the scope and significance of the ,rosenwald ,schools initiative2 7#d7 take into consideration other alternatives for preservation1 protection1 and interpretation of the legacy of ,julius ,rosenwald and the ,rosenwald ,schools by-- 7,a7 ,federal1 ,state1 or local governmental entities2 or 7,b7 private and nonprofit organizations2 7#e7 consult with1 as determined appropriate by the ,secretary1 relevant-- 7,a7 ,federal1 ,state1 and local governmental entities2 7,b7 private and nonprofit organizations2 or 7,c7 any other interested individuals2 and 7#f7 identify costs associated with any potential ,federal acquisition1 development1 interpretation1 operation1 and maintenance associated with the alternatives described in paragraph 7#d74 7c7 ,applicable law ,the study under subsection 7a7 shall be conducted in accordance with section #ajjejg of title #ed1 ,united ,states ,code4 7d7 ,results ,not later than #c years after the date on which funds are first made available for the study under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate a report describing-- 7#a7 the results of the study2 and 7#b7 any conclusions and recommendations of the ,secretary relating to the study4