This bill would create a new National Historical Park to honor Julius Rosenwald, a former Sears leader and philanthropist. He teamed up with Booker T. Washington to build nearly 5,000 schools for Black children in the South between 1912 and 1932, a time when many of those children had no other place to learn.
The new park would include several specific locations, such as the old Sears headquarters in Chicago and restored school buildings in Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia. It would also create a national network to help find and protect other remaining Rosenwald school buildings across 15 different states.
These schools played a huge role in American history, educating more than 600,000 children. Many famous leaders attended these schools, including civil rights icon John Lewis, poet Maya Angelou, and singer Nina Simone. The park would help tell their stories and explain how these schools helped make the country more fair.
The National Park Service would be in charge of running the park and the network. They would be allowed to work with local groups and state governments to fix up old buildings, put up signs, and create educational programs for visitors. They could also provide grants to help keep these historic sites standing for years to come.
Impact Analysis
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Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Feb 25, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Feb 25, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
