NYU John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress. know the ins and outs of the Capitol Hill underground tunnels. All of those wrong

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1 Nick Marroletti January 15, 2014 NYU John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress Internship Scholarship Research Essay Increasing Visible Inclusivity in the National Historic Landmarks Program As a Congressional intern, you run a lot of errands, and you eventually get to know the ins and outs of the Capitol Hill underground tunnels. All of those wrong turns and successful trips lend to an appreciation for the physical building of the Capitol. From its impressive art collection to the interesting anecdotes about its different occupants, the Capitol has a history all its own. And while it stands to house the US Congress, on another level, it also serves as a stage for history on which to unfold. As an intern, I watched roll-call votes from the Senate gallery, walked past Senators struggling on their iphones, and worked in the busiest building in Washington DC. I loved being a witness to history in motion. As my internship experience in the Senate renewed my academic interest in American history and passion for historic places, I started to research the connection between the two. If you look at US students test scores in history, the picture is bleak. The 2010 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) fourth grade US History exam surveys students from 510 schools, and represents 7,000 students across the country. For the 2010 exam, 20% of all students reached a Proficient score on the 2010 exam, compared to 17% in If you break that down further by race/ethnicity, 28% of white students scored above proficient, 1

2 compared to 8% of black students, 7% of Hispanic students, and 23% of Asian/Pacific Islander students 1. To see students struggle to convey the noteworthiness of Brown v. Board or have difficulty identifying modern Presidents is alarming, and even more astounding is that this trend has improved little since So while there are positive findings in the trends, like the lowest performing fourth graders increasing their average scores by 22 points between 1994 and 2010, it is apparent that American students are struggling to fully grasp our Nation s history. I believe that increasing the visible diversity in our National Historic Landmarks (NHL) program can help combat these educational shortfalls by advancing hands-on connections to local student groups through inclusive cultural and historical material. The episodes that the most popular NHL s showcase consistently leave behind the contributions and struggles of minority groups throughout our national timeline. The NAEP develops a framework that asserts different themes and time periods within American history, which can be connected and implemented alongside the similar guidelines set forth by the Department of the Interior to determine NHL designation. I believe that if more National Historic Landmarks included information that highlighted specific minority groups in a way that cemented their contributions throughout US history, then minority students 1 United States of America. Department of Education. Institute of Education Science. The Nation's Report Card: US History National Center for Education Statistics. US Department of Education, June Web. 15 Jan <nces.ed.gov>. 2 Dilon, Sam. U.S. Students Remain Poor at History, Tests Show. Editorial. New York Times 06 June 2011: The New York Times. Web. 15 Jan

3 would feel more connected to the material, which could help improve test scores and enhance local curriculums. As someone who grew up in the suburbs around Philadelphia, an area deeply entrenched in our Nation s founding, that our historic sites can put forward more inclusive information about their historical events. Take for example the birthplace of our Nation, Philadelphia s Independence Hall, the site of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. A UNESCO World Heritage site and National Historic Landmark, Independence Hall receives approximately three million annual visitors, making it one of Philadelphia s most popular attractions for tourists and school groups. But while the historical tour of Independence Hall does showcase the delegates debate and compromise on state representation in the bi-cameral Congress, it does not use its platform to adequately discuss the 3/5 th compromise. This vital component to the early legal debate over slavery in America could be easily integrated into this site's educational offerings, but is neglected in favor of highlighting the accomplishments of a select group of men. By increasing the inclusiveness of the National Historic Landmarks program, we can inspire America's students and improve the quality of their US history education. The students that visit this site could hear about early abolitionists and advocates within the African American community, as opposed to the limited time the topic receives now. Under the Obama Administration, the National Historic Landmarks program has grown in its inclusiveness. The National Heritage Initiative highlights minority contributions throughout American history, but does so in a way that, I feel, 3

4 relegates these stories outside of the overarching American narrative. By clearly classifying sites as belonging to one ethnic group, the Obama Administration is going against their own idea to present a more inclusive narrative of American history. Take for example the United States Post Office and Court House in Los Angeles, California, which was designated an NHL in 2012 for being the site of the Mendez v. Westminster court case. Mendez saw the 9 th Circuit Court of Appeals declare segregated Mexican-American schools in Orange County as unconstitutional a full eight years before Brown v. Board. To claim this site as exclusive to American Latinos does it a disservice; it s connected to African Americans through the shared history of segregation and it s connected to the larger American experience of demanding rights to be recognized by the government. The Obama Administration should direct the Department of the Interior to further develop inclusive historical narratives in existing historical sites, and work to further advertise and build up sites that showcase minority history. 31 of the 51 properties approved by the Secretary of the Interior since 2011 have highlighted a minority group s contributions to our history 3. This is progress, but needs to be complimented by conducting more research on how to diversify sites already in existence. 2,438 of America s 2,540 National Historic Landmarks, or 96%, have not had research done on how they connect to notions of race, ethnicity, class or 3 United States of America. Department of the Interior. National Parks Service. National Historic Landmarks Heritage Initiatives Progress Report National Parks Service. Web. 15 Jan

5 gender in American history 4. By further developing inclusive historical narratives in existing sites not culturally categorized, the Secretary can increase their effectiveness in reaching a broader audience. In recent years, historic preservation projects have moved away from the narrow scope of a single building and embraced the surrounding community s relationship to its history. This has been accomplished through a variety of means, from art exhibitions, coordination with local curriculums or preservation tax credits. This community engagement mindedness affects the kind of sites we recognize. With the National Historic Preservation Act s 50 th Anniversary in 2016, we must bring public historic preservation efforts back into the forefront of our domestic agenda to preserve American diverse communities histories. By making our nation s historic sites more inclusive and interactive, we can ensure that our students maintain a connection to their community s history, and, by extension, America s. 4 United States of America. Department of the Interior. National Parks Service. National Historic Landmarks Report on Designations Five-Year Progress Report. National Parks Service. Web. 15 Jan

6 Works Consulted: "Independence Historic National Park." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, 15 Jan Web. 15 Jan "Most 12th Graders Know Little American History, Survey Says." Editorial. New York Times 02 Nov. 1995: The New York Times. 15 Jan Web. 15 Jan United States of America. Department of Education. Institute of Education Science. The Nation's Report Card: US History National Center for Education Statistics. US Department of Education, June Web. 15 Jan <nces.ed.gov>. Lovelady, Adam. "Broadened Notions of Historic Preservation and the Role of Neighborhood Conversation Districts." The Urban Lawyer 40.1 (2008): Hein Online. William S. Hein & Co., Inc. Web. 15 Jan United States of America. Department of the Interior. National Parks Service. National Historic Landmarks Heritage Initiatives Progress Report National Parks Service. Web. 15 Jan United States of America. Department of the Interior. National Parks Service. National Historic Landmarks Report on Designations Five-Year Progress Report. National Parks Service. Web. 15 Jan Stipe, Robert E. A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation in the Twenty-First Century. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, Print. Tyler, Norman. Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice. New York: W.W. Norton, Print. 6

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