# Plain Language Summary: Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act

This bill gives permission to the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to build a memorial in Washington, D.C. that honors enslaved people who arrived at Georgetown Waterfront after surviving the Middle Passage. The memorial would specifically commemorate these individuals—whether their names are known or lost to history—and mark this important but painful part of American history at a significant location in the nation's capital.

The key thing to understand is that this bill doesn't cost taxpayers any money. The government isn't funding this project at all. Instead, the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour organization must raise all the money themselves through private donations and contributions. They're responsible for paying for everything—building the memorial, maintaining it, and preserving it for the future. This is an important distinction because it means the public isn't footing the bill for this commemorative work.

The bill does require that the memorial follow federal standards for how commemorative works are designed and placed on public land. If the organization raises more money than they actually need to build and maintain the memorial, any leftover funds go to the National Park Foundation to support similar memorial projects. This ensures that extra donations continue serving the purpose of remembering and honoring history rather than going unused.

Essentially, this legislation opens the door for a private organization to create a permanent, public memorial in Washington, D.C. that tells an important story about enslaved people in American history, while keeping the financial burden entirely on private fundraising rather than government resources.

Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

Georgetown Waterfront Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act This bill authorizes the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate the enslaved individuals, whose identities may be known or unknown, who disembarked at Georgetown Waterfront after enduring the Middle Passage. The Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour shall be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions for, and payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work. Federal funds may not be used to pay any expense of the establishment of the commemorative work.