On April 6, the Senate unanimously passed innovative legislation that creates multiple National Park Service (NPS) designations that help share the full history of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which led to the end of the separate but equal doctrine in public education and mandated the desegregation of public schools.

The House followed suit and passed the legislation (S. 270) on April 26. The legislation was featured in a multi-year National Trust campaign and was led by Senator Chris Coons in the Senate and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) in the House.

Working through the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the National Trust helped craft a policy proposal, which culminated in the introduction of legislation in September 2020 and reintroduction in February 2021. The legislative proposal connects communities representing plaintiffs in the landmark court case within the National Park system through the creation of NPS Affiliated Areas in Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia and expansion of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas, to include related sites in South Carolina. The bill now awaits President Biden’s signature.