{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sewell.house.gov/2022/7/rep-sewell-announces-25-million-preserve-alabama-hbcus", "Rep. Sewell Announces $2.5 Million to Preserve Alabama HBCUs", "2022-07-08", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri A. Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", "sewell", "https://sewell.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced that the National Park Service (NPS) will award $2.5 million to five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Alabama. The funding will be used to preserve historic structures on the campuses of Alabama State University, Miles College, Selma University, Alabama A&M University, and Stillman College. Each year, Sewell leads the congressional effort to increase funding for the National Park Service\u2019s Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to preserve Civil Rights sites and HBCU campuses. Sewell proudly serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus.\n\nThe following Alabama HBCUs will receive funding:\n\nAlabama State University - $500,000 for the G.W. Trenholm Hall Preservation Project\n\nMiles College - $500,000 for the Williams Hall Historic Preservation Project\n\nSelma University - $500,000 to preserve the Historic Dinkins Memorial Hall\n\nAlabama A&M University - $500,000 for restoration and renovation of Carnegie Hall Library\n\nStillman College - $500,000 to transform Sheppard Library into a Civil Rights museum\n\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to announce that the National Park Service is investing $2.5 million to preserve historic structures on the campuses of Alabama\u2019s HBCUs. This is a big win for Alabama!\u201d said Rep. Sewell. \u201cAlabama\u2019s HBCUs have played such a pivotal role in shaping the history of our nation, and I was so proud to help make this funding available which will be used to preserve these cherished institutions. As Vice Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus, I remain committed to ensuring the vitality of Alabama\u2019s HBCUs. Fighting for funding like this will continue to be one of my top legislative priorities!\u201d\n\n\u201cOn behalf of everyone at Selma University, we are elated to receive the grant award,\u201d said Selma University President Stanford E. Angion, Ed.D. \u201cWe are so appreciative of Congresswoman Sewell\u2019s support of the university. This funding will go a long way in helping our students at Selma University and the entire community of Selma, Alabama.\u201d\n\n\"Stillman College sits on the 105-acre former Cochran plantation that housed 71 slaves,\u201d said Stillman College President Dr. Cynthia Warrick. \u201cThis grant will make a major impact for the restoration of Sheppard Library, especially its columns and capitals imported from Italy from the Cochran plantation house. We continue to be grateful for Congresswoman Sewell's unwavering support of Stillman College and all HBCUs in the District.\"\n\n\u201cFor more than 180 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have provided high-level academics, opportunities, and community for generations of students,\u201d said NPS Director Chuck Sams. \u201cThese grants enable HBCUs to preserve the noteworthy structures that honor the past and tell the ongoing story of these historic institutions.\u201d\n\nThe funding announced today is part of a $9.7 million investment by NPS in HBCUs nationwide. Since the 1990s, the NPS has awarded more than $87 million in grants to over 85 of the remaining active HBCUs. Congress appropriates funding for the program through the?Historic Preservation Fund which uses revenue from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.\n\nAccredited HBCUs are eligible to apply for this grant program, and eligible projects include physical preservation of sites listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. HBCU grants can also fund pre-preservation studies, architectural plans and specifications, historic structure reports, campus preservation plans, and National Register nominations.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:20:25Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sewell.house.gov/2022/7/rep-sewell-announces-25-million-preserve-alabama-hbcus"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0345180053263903, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}