# Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act

This bill asks the federal government to study Fort Pillow Historic State Park in Tennessee to determine whether it should become a national park. Right now, Fort Pillow is run by the state of Tennessee as a historic site that tells the story of a Civil War battle and massacre that happened there in 1864. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to evaluate whether this location is significant enough and practical enough to be managed by the National Park Service instead.

The bill focuses on the Fort Pillow Massacre, a brutal attack that occurred when Confederate forces killed hundreds of Union soldiers and civilians after they had already surrendered. Among those killed were many African American soldiers fighting for the Union. The bill's supporters argue this event was so important to American history—particularly to the story of Black soldiers in the Civil War—that it deserves national recognition and protection. They also note that Tennessee has sometimes downplayed what happened there, calling it a battle rather than acknowledging the massacre, which is why federal oversight might ensure the full historical truth is told.

If this study moves forward, the National Park Service would examine the site's historical importance and whether it makes sense to convert it from a state park to a federal national park. This could potentially mean more funding, better preservation efforts, and wider recognition of the site's significance. However, the bill doesn't automatically make this change—it just authorizes a study to figure out whether it should happen. The actual decision about whether Fort Pillow becomes a national park would come later, based on what the study finds.

Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act

Rush, Bobby L.

Fort Pillow National Battlefield Park Study Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating&nbsp;the Fort Pillow Historic State Park in Henning, Tennessee, which was the site of the Battle of Fort Pillow during the Civil War, as a unit of the National Park System.