Omaha, NE - Members of the public are invited to provide comment on the National Park Service (NPS) Springfield 1908 Race Riot special resource study until Sept. 3, 2022. The purpose of this special resource study is to gather further information about the study area, including other sites in Springfield, Illinois associated with the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, and to evaluate the potential inclusion in the National Park System. NPS will also host a meeting for members of the public to learn more about the study on Aug. 10, 2022.
Public Law 116-139 directed the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study associated with the Springfield Race Riot of 1908 and the establishment of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The 1908 Springfield Race Riot took place over the course of a weekend during which a large white mob targeted Black homes and businesses. Damages suffered by the African American business community are estimated at $100,000 (in 1908). In the aftermath, a total of 107 people were indicted for riot, arson, larceny, and murder.
WHAT IS A SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY?
A special resource study examines the eligibility of an area for inclusion in the National Park System. A potential site is evaluated according to four congressionally established criteria: (1) national significance, (2) suitability, (3) feasibility and (4) the need for NPS management. All four criteria must have positive findings for an area to be considered eligible for inclusion in the National Park System. At the conclusion of the study, the NPS will submit its findings to the Secretary of the Interior, who then makes a recommendation to Congress for consideration. Parks in the National Park System are designated by acts of Congress and/or through presidential proclamation.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
An important aspect of the study process is gathering information from the public about the site and events of the 1908 race riot, including determining the level of local and general public support, and identifying any issues or concerns associated with an area's potential inclusion in the national park system.
The NPS will host an in-person public meeting about the study on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, at 6 p.m. central time at the NAACP offices at 801 S 11th St, Springfield, IL 62703.
Please visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/springfieldsrs for details. In this public meeting, the NPS will share information about the study process, including the criteria used to evaluate a site for inclusion in the national park system, and answer questions.
Comments will be accepted online until Sept. 3, 2022. General inquires or feedback before and after the comment period can be sent to Associate Regional Director, Tokey Boswell, 402-661-1720. For updates and information about this special resource study, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/springfieldsrs
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for the 423 parks in the National Park System and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
Tags: special resource study springfield race riot midwest illinois
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
