Preserving American History: Supporting Freedmen’s Settlements and Historic Black Towns

By Jacqueline Patterson, Executive Director

The recent decision by the National Park Service to withdraw Louisiana’s Great River Road region — home to numerous historic African American communities — from consideration for National Historic Landmark designation underscores an urgent reality: historic Black communities established by formerly enslaved people, known as Freedmen’s Settlements or historic Black towns, face mounting threats not just from environmental challenges, but also from policy decisions that prioritize industrial development over cultural preservation. These irreplaceable pieces of American history demand immediate protection action.

Between 1865 and 1930, formerly enslaved people demonstrated remarkable and indomitable spirit by pooling their resources to purchase land and build more than 1,200 independent, self-sustaining communities across America. Today, these Freedmen’s Settlements and historic Black towns — from Mossville, Louisiana to Africatown, Alabama — represent extraordinary examples of community self-determination and resilience.

Across the United States today, we find these historic places now lack basic infrastructure. In Mossville, founded in the 1790s, residents struggle without reliable utilities while confronting industrial encroachment. In Grambling, Louisiana, another historic Black community, residents face persistent challenges with water infrastructure while working to preserve their legacy as a center of Black education and achievement. These communities also face mounting threats from severe weather, crumbling infrastructure, and development pressure. These irreplaceable pieces of American history demand immediate preservation action.

At the same time, these communities show what’s possible through local initiatives and strategic partnerships. In Independence Heights, Texas, residents combine historic preservation with practical infrastructure improvements. In Eatonville, Florida, the community develops sustainable economic opportunities while protecting its unique heritage.

At The Chisholm Legacy Project, our community outreach team, which travels across the U.S. to discover the needs of these communities, see scenarios like this time and again. Communities that are more than willing to dig in and do the hard work to both preserve our shared history, and create an economically viable future for their descendants. The particular circumstances vary, but the tools that are needed are consistent:

• Resources for preserving historic structures and documenting community histories
• Support for basic infrastructure improvements like water systems and roads
• Technical assistance for preservation planning and project management
• Protection against displacement and predatory development
• Funding for environmental hazard mitigation and climate resilience
• Tools to maintain community control over development decisions
• Resources to sustain cultural traditions and heritage sites
• Support for community-led economic development initiatives

The preservation of and investment in these historic places transcends partisan divides. When a Freedmen’s Settlement lacks running water or faces destruction from severe weather, and when that community is either slowly dispersed or catastrophically displaced, we lose not only the irreplaceable sites that document our legacy of perseverance and determination, but we also lose a vibrant piece of this country’s social, cultural, and economic tapestry. Real preservation requires more than symbolic gestures or hollow recognition, particularly in the face of active suppression — it demands concrete action to protect physical places and support living communities.

This moment calls for meaningful action to support and preserve these extraordinary places. Protecting Freedmen’s Settlements and historic Black towns transcends modern political debates and, instead, speaks to our common humanity, while demonstrating what these communities have achieved before, and will continue to achieve in the future, through collective effort and innovative approaches.

That’s why we support legislation to create practical tools for communities to preserve these historic places while maintaining local control. This isn’t about bureaucracy — it’s about providing communities the resources to protect and restore historic American places through local decision-making.

We’re calling on Congress to pass the RESTORE Act and Freedmen’s Settlement resolution to create real tools for communities to preserve these historic places while maintaining local control. This legislation provides resources and technical support while ensuring communities drive their own development decisions.

We Call On:

Congress to:

• Pass the RESTORE Act providing annual funding through 2030
• Support immediate executive action through the resolution
• Ensure strong property rights protections
• Maintain community control provisions

Organizations to:

• Sign on to support the legislative package
• Share information with your networks
• Join our coalition briefings
• Contact your representatives

Individuals to:

• Sign our petition
• Share your community’s story
• Contact Congress
• Join our campaign updates

Together, we can ensure these remarkable communities not only survive but thrive for generations to come. Visit this page on our website to learn more and take action.