HERITAGE MATTERS FEBRUARY 2000 during the school year. My primary began this summer when Turkiya Lowe, A New National Historic responsibility is to conduct background an intern from Howard University, gath­ Landmark Theme Study: research to provide a listing of potential ered information about places listed in Racial Desegregation in sites associated with desegregation. I also the National Register of Historic Places conducted searches for source material associated with the history of desegrega­ Education and for interested organizations that tion and created a list of potential can­ Turkiya L. Lowe could provide valuable information on didates for National Historic Landmark National Historic Landmark the history of desegregation and the designation. Twenty-five places listed in Summer Intern, 1999 identification of unregistered properties. the National Register were determined to be possible candidates for NHL The study is under the direction of In October of 1998, Congress autho­ designation. An announcement about Carol D. Shull, Chief of the National rized the National Park Service to begin the theme study, calling for further in­ Historic Landmarks Survey, and the a new National Historic Landmark formation and participation, was also Project Manager is Dr. John Sprinkle, Jr., (NHL) Theme Study on the history of mailed to organizations and individuals CO Supervisory Historian with the NHL racial desegregation in the public school on the National Park Service diversity Survey. The Principal Investigator is systems of the United States. As the pro­ mailing list, as well as to State Historic 4) Susan Salvatore. In completing the verbial 50-year mark approaches on Preservation Officers, Tribal Preserva­ racial desegregation theme study, the many of the events that shaped the Civil tion Officers, and Federal Preservation National Historic Landmark staff Rights Movement, such as the Brown v. Officers. The study is expected to be welcomes and thanks its partners: the > Board of Education case of 1954, the completed in October, 2000. study seeks to identify nationally signifi­ National Conference of State Preserva­ cant sites that represent the history of tion Officers and the Organization of For information, contact John Sprikle at 202/343-8166, e-mail: [email protected] educational segregation and desegrega­ American Historians. The desegregation theme study will culminate in October tion in the United States. (See "Recent In fiscal year 1999, five places promoting 2000 with its presentation by the Secre­ and Ongoing National Register of His­ cultural diversity were documented and tary of the Interior to Congress. I toric Places Research," next article.) designated National Historic Landmarks: the John Coltrane House, Philadelphia, As a history major now in my senior For more information, contact Susan Salvatore at 202/343-4246, Pennsylvania; Mission Santa Ines, 4) year at Howard University in Washing­ e-mail: [email protected] Solvang, California; the Chief Plenty ton, DC, I have enjoyed the experience O Coups (Alek-Chea-ahoosh) Home, Big of working on the desegregation theme I MM Horn County, Montana; Woodmont, study. I completed the 10-week intern­ Gladwyne, Pennsylvania; and Trevion- ship facilitated by the not-for-profit Recent and Ongoing Urbino Ranco, San Ygnacio, Texas. Student Conservation Association, the National Register of I Historic Places Research National Park Service Cultural Resources For information on these and other NHL Diversity Initiative, and the Diversity designations, contact John Sprinkle at Research for a new National Historic Intern Program of the Department of 202/343-8166, e-mail: [email protected] CO Landmark (NHL) Survey theme study, the Interior and am continuing my work continued on page 2 Racial Desegregation in Public Education, for the project on a part-time basis Douglass High School The Douglass High School was the last I segregated school built in Memphis, Tennessee. Constructed in 1950 and added to in several stages through 1971, rS the school remained segregated many years after the Memphis school system C was forced to integrate. Declining enroll­ ment ultimately caused the school's o closure in 1981. Recognized for its extraordinary significance to the African- American community of Memphis, the school was listed in the National Register "8 on March 12, 1998. Photo by Judith Johnson z page 1 the education of future professionals in In the summer of 2000, the Cultural this field. The Advisory Group discussed Resources Diversity Internship Program and made recommendations on the will sponsor at least 12 interns. The in­ development and implementation of terns will be placed in National Park the various programs of the National Service administrative offices, partner­ Park Service's Cultural Resources Diver­ ship organizations in the public and pri­ sity Initiative, including the Diversity vate sectors, and units of the National Internship Program, the Initiative's Park System. Students enrolled at His­ training programs, and diversity com­ torically Black Colleges and Universities, munications tools. Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges, other minority-based schools The purpose of the Cultural Resources and academic departments, and other Diversity Initiative is to encourage colleges and universities are encouraged greater minority participation in the pro­ to apply to this program. fessional fields in historic preservation/ cultural resources stewardship work, The program is administered by the such as history, historical architecture, Cultural Resources Diversity Initiative The Walnut Cove Colored School archeology, museum studies, and others. of the National Park Service and the Built in 1921, the Walnut Cove Colored School in Walnut Cove, North Carolina, was It is a cooperative effort of the National Student Conservation Association. The made possible through a $1,200 matching grant from the Rosenwald Fund, a philan­ thropic organization that funded African-American school construction throughout Park Service and the National Parks cost of each intern is shared between the the South. While the Rosenwald Fund helped construct 787 schools in North Carolina, Conservation Association. National Park Service, the National Park the Walnut Cove Colored School was the only one funded in rural Stokes County. Foundation, and the intern host sponsor. For copies of the summary report of Students from Walnut Cove and the surrounding community, some having to walk the Advisory Group meeting, contact: For further information on the more than five miles, attended the school, which served as the educational center Moriba McDonald at 202/343-2331, internship program, contact for African-American students in the county for over 30 years. The Walnut Cove e-mail: [email protected] Moriba N. McDonald at 202/343-2331, Colored School was listed in the National Register on February 24, 1995. e-mail: [email protected] Photo by Laura A. W. Phillips Student applications for Cultural Resources internships should be directed to: The Student Conservation Association, Diversity Initiative 1800 N. Kent Street, Suite 1260, topics or periods in American history Internship Program Arlington, VA 22209, 703/524-2441, or visit SCA over the Internet at: that will use National Register of His­ National Park Internships are an important means of www.sca-inc.org toric Places sites. National Register staff Service Activities introducing young people to the world members are assisting Oxford Press of work. Along with many other federal continued from page 1 researchers on an upcoming volume on agencies and bureaus, the National Park "Landmarks of Liberty," covering issues New NPS Social Service sponsors interns and other Luisa Bonillas, a Ph.D. history student such as the abolition of slavery, the civil Science Program summer employees in its administrative from Arizona State University, worked rights movement, the women's rights Recommends Partnerships With offices and national park units. In the as a summer intern in the National movement, and immigration, and will Historically Black Colleges and summer of 1999, the National Park Register of Historic Places' Teaching be assisting on future volumes on African Universities and Predominantly Service sponsored its first diversity in­ with Historic Places (TwHP) program, American, Women's, Native American, Hispanic Serving Universities terns in its cultural resources programs. completing research and editing two and Asian American history. Recognizing that National Park visita­ upcoming lesson plan publications: The The Cultural Resources Diversity Forts of Old San Juan: Guardian of the For information, contact tion is rising, the National Park Service Beth Boland at 202/343-9545, Internship Program is part of the larger has undertaken an effort to study the Caribbean and Gran Quivira: A Blending e-mail: [email protected] NPS Cultural Resources Diversity public's visitation patterns to better of Culture in a Pueblo Indian Village. Initiative, which was established in serve park visitors while protecting park TwHP uses National Register properties October 1998. The goal of the Initiative resources. The effort will study a wide to enliven the teaching of history, social is to diversify the professions that work Cultural Resources variety of factors and include research studies, geography, civics, and other in cultural resources stewardship and Diversity Initiative from a number of partners. One ele­ subjects. 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