Final General Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site Washington, D.C. Final General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement _____________________________________________________________________________ Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site Washington, District of Columbia The National Park Service is preparing a general management plan to clearly define a direction for resource preservation and visitor use at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site for the next 10 to 15 years. A general management plan takes a long-range view and provides a framework for proactive decision making about visitor use, managing the natural and cultural resources at the site, developing the site, and addressing future opportunities and problems. This is the first NPS comprehensive management plan prepared f or the national historic site. As required, this general management plan presents to the public a range of alternatives for managing the site, including a preferred alternative; the management plan also analyzes and presents the resource and socioeconomic impacts or consequences of implementing each of those alternatives the “Environmental Consequences” section of this document. All alternatives propose new interpretive exhibits. Alternative 1, a “no-action” alternative, presents what would happen under a continuation of current management trends and provides a basis for comparing the other alternatives. Al t e r n a t i v e 2 , the preferred alternative, expands interpretation of the house and the life of Bethune, and the archives. It recommends the purchase and rehabilitation of an adjacent row house to provide space for orientation, restrooms, and offices. Moving visitor orientation to an adjacent building would provide additional visitor services while slightly decreasing the impacts of visitors on the historic structure. In addition, the proposed changes to the archives would expand the audience that could be reached via electronic media. Administrative f unctions would be separate from the visitor areas. Archival research would be concentrated onsite. Collections and processing would also be onsite. When necessary, archival collections would be moved to the Museum Resource Center for preservation and storage. Alternative 3 expands interpretation to those people wanting longer, more in-depth information on the site and expands outreach programs to accommodate wider audiences. This alternative proposes the purchase or lease of additional nearby space for offices, meetings, and orientation and would decrease ranger-guided tours and increase self-guided tours (compared to existing conditions) of the council house. This alternative also proposes the expansion of the carriage house/archives and increased services to a narrower audience — those people who would be attending seminars and workshops. Orientation and visitation services would be shifted to the new space. This alternative would also increase the number of people reached through outreach programs. Offsite interpretation, including traveling exhibits, would be expanded. Alternative 4 emphasizes interpretation of the life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune. This alternative proposes building a larger structure to replace the carriage house and moving the archives offsite to a leased space, providing needed space for restrooms and bookstore. Thus, implementation of alternative 4 would increase exhibit space and provide space for new exhibits. The site staff would provide in-depth interpretation of Dr. Bethune and her contributions, and exhibits in the house would include historic and period furnishings from the years when she used the house as the headquarters for the National Council of Negro Women. For more information about this document, contact the Site Manager Diann Jacox, Mary McLeod Bethune National Historic Site, 1318 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., 20005, at 202-673-2402, or via email at [email protected]. U.S. Department of the Interior N ational Park Ser vice SUMMARY Mary McLeod Bethune, w as a renow ned This general management plan is required educator, organizer, national political leader, to present to the public a range of alterna- president of the National Association of tives for managing the site, including a Colored Women, and founder of the preferred alternative. In this document there National Council of Negro Women. What is are four alternatives. The plan is also now the Mary McLeod Bethune Council required to analyze and present the environ- House National Historic Site w as her official mental and socioeconomic impacts or Washington, D.C., address (194349), and consequences of implementing each of it is at this site that Mary McLeod Bethune those alternatives the environmental achieved her greatest national and inter- impact statement part of this document. A national recognition. At this site, the first summary of the alternatives and the headquarters of the National Council of important impacts is given below . Negro Women, Bethune and the council spearheaded strategies and developed programs that advanced the interests of SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES African American w omen and the black AND IMPACTS community. The site is also the location of the National Archives for Black Women’s Alternative 1, No Action History. Current operations, w ith limited space, staff, The 1991 legislation that gave the National and budget, w ould continue at the site. No Par k Service the authority to acquire and additional property w ould be acquired or manage this national historic site also leased. Visitor facilities w ould continue to be created a 15-member Federal Advisory inadequate, and facilities w ould remain Commission. This commission participates inaccessible to visitors and employees w ith in an advisory capacity to develop the mobility disabilities. The second-floor, general management plan. The commision single-toilet restroom w ould continue to be is composed of experts in areas relating to used for visitors, including those arriving in the historic site and archives and Dr. groups. The limited administrative and Bethune. visitor orientation functions w ould remain in the council house, and the archives w ould The National Park Service intends to arrive remain in the carriage house, w hich does at a comprehensive direction for managing not provide the physical environment for the site through public participation. There- professional curatorial standards and w ould fore, public input is an important aspect of not have room for storing the additional establishing the desired resource and visitor collections expected. experience conditions that w ill guide the management of the national historic site. The interpretive program, w hich focuses on Dr. Bethune, the council house, and the Many issues and concerns have been National Council of Negro Women, w ould identified by NPS staff, the Federal Advisory continue to be less comprehensive than is Commission, and the general public as part desired. Space for researchers and their of the scoping (initial planning efforts) for work would continue to be inadequate. The this general management plan. Comments council house w ould continue to be pre- were solicited at public meetings, through served as funding permits and in response planning newsletters, and on the Internet. to structural deterioration, w ithout a more proactive preservation plan. v Summary The main impacts of implementing this ty. There w ould be additional space for the alternative w ould be that the above- archives, as well as enhanced environ- mentioned undesirable conditions w ould mental protection and updated technological continue and the quality of the visitor access. experience w ould continue to be adversely affected. Alternative 3 Alternative 2 − Preferred The national historic site w ould com- memorate Mary McLeod Bethune through In this alternative the national historic site the establishment of the Bethune Center for would place a dual emphasis on the council Human Rights. The center w ould continue house, w hich would be used as a museum, Dr. Bethune’s legacy by using the council and on the archives. Both the museum and house as a base for stimulating social the archives would be expanded and linked change. While retaining the archival by using the archival materials in changing resources and the house as a museum, the interpretive exhibits and programs. The site w ould provide the place for community interpretation w ould provide a broad and and activist groups to meet and engage in balanced program and a more in-depth activities, w orkshops, and programs. treatment of Dr. Bethune’s role as a public Interpretive themes w ould emphasize Dr. figure and organizer. Bethune’s legacy. Groups using the facilities would include those w ith whom Dr. Bethune Dr. Bethune’s vision of an expansive and the National Council of Negro Women archival collection of African American worked, as well as other organizations that women’s history w ould be achieved. The would encourage social change in accord archives would become a significant, state- with Dr. Bethune’s ideals. Lectures and of-the art research institution and a modern receptions for educational and activist repository that meets current professional groups w ould take place, w ith emphasis on archival management standards. Research literacy and voices of the civil rights and capabilities and services would be improved human rights movement. through the use of advanced technology.