Date of press release: July 28, 2017
Contact: Tom Crosson202-208-6843
WASHINGTON – On the anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship to former slaves freed after the Civil War, the National Park Service today released a thematic study examining historically significant properties national culture of the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. The thematic study of national historic monuments, “The Reconstruction era, 1861-1900“, identifies notable resources related to the Reconstruction era that help tell the American story.
“Uncovering the lesser-known stories of the Reconstruction era and identifying the places and people who impacted our collective American history is the result of two years of dedicated work by historians, field practitioners and subject matter experts,” said Dr. Joy Beasley of the national park. Acting Associate Director of the Department for Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science. “This thematic study continues to build on our shared narrative as Americans; knowing who we are, where we come from, and understanding the events, activities, and places that shape us, today’s citizens, is central to the mission of the National Park Service.
The thematic study, which is the first comprehensive thematic study of its kind, enhances the public’s understanding of this complex and contested period in our nation’s history and provides a basis for identifying and potentially proposing goods related to the era of reconstruction as national historic monuments. National historic landmarks are historic places of national significance designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Currently, nearly 2,600 historic sites bear this national distinction.
One of the stories shared in the thematic study is that of a South Carolina slave, Robert Smalls, who in 1862 during the American Civil War freed himself and his family by commandeering a transport ship Confederate, sailing it into waters controlled by the Confederacy, and turning it over to the United States Navy. After the war he purchased his master’s old home, won election to the South Carolina state legislature, served five terms as a congressman in the United States House of Representatives and helped rewrite the South Carolina constitution. Several nationally significant resources related to the Reconstruction era and Robert Smalls have recently been designated as part of the Reconstruction Era National Monument, a unit of the National Park Service. The preparation of the thematic study contributed to the recognition of these important resources.
The National Park Service administers the National Historic Landmarks program and oversees the designation of these nationally significant resources. To learn more about National Historic Landmarks, please visit www.nps.gov/nhl.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the country to help preserve local history and create recreational opportunities close to home. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkserviceTwitter www.twitter.com/natlparkserviceand YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
