Bill of the Day: Preserving BIPOC Resources
Updated on March 7th, 2022.
Preserving BIPOC Historic and Cultural Resources through Policy
For decades, the history of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities have been overlooked, underfunded, and untold. For Black History month, we are highlighting several bills which VCN and our Partners are supporting in this General Assembly session which will improve the preservation of BIPOC historic and cultural resources.
Recently, the General Assembly has made commendable and long overdue efforts to fund initiatives to uplift stories of Virginia’s African American and Indigenous communities. In 2020, we established the African American Cemeteries and Graves Fund. In 2021, we secured more than $5 million in funding for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) to survey and fund BIPOC historic sites. Additionally, the Chickahominy Tribe received $3.5 million to acquire and restore historic tribal land.
However, funding still remains to be a significant hurdle for the preservation of BIPOC history and historic places. Virginia needs legislation to help protect the historic structures, cultural landscapes, and archeological sites that have otherwise been overlooked or destroyed – especially for Black, Indigenous, and POC resources. Easing our ability to acquire, preserve, and interpret historical and cultural resources is crucial to tell Virginia’s full history. For more background, see Our Common Agenda policy paper, “Protecting Historic & Cultural Resources.”
Legislation Supporting BIPOC Preservation
Through advocacy from Piedmont Environmental Council and Preservation Virginia, VCN is supporting bills which protect BIPOC resources:
Delegate McQuinn
HB141 and companion bill SB158 (Senator Hashmi) would establish the Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund. The Fund will provide grants for nonprofit organizations, localities, and state and federally-recognized Indian tribes to acquire, preserve and interpret historic structures, cultural landscapes, and archeological sites important to the history of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Governor Northam’s outgoing budget allotted $5 million per year for this proposed fund.
Delegate Webert
HB996 will address an issue associated with heirs’ property. The bill will help prevent the loss of family farms and forests by ensuring eligible landowners can take advantage of Virginia’s use-value taxation program, thus lowering their tax burden. African Americans are more than twice as likely as white Americans to not have a will; therefore, heirs property continues to be the leading cause of Black involuntary land loss. HB996 would ease the burden and costs associated with inheriting family land.
Senator Hashmi
SB158 and companion bill HB141 would establish the Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund. The Fund will provide grants for nonprofit organizations, localities, and state and federally-recognized Indian tribes to acquire, preserve and interpret historic structures, cultural landscapes, and archeological sites important to the history of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Governor Northam’s outgoing budget allotted $5 million per year for this proposed fund.
Take Action
Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund
Both bills to establish the Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund have passed unanimously through their respective Chambers and are now headed to the Governor’s desk! Please thank your legislators for supporting the creation of the BIPOC Preservation Fund.
Heirs Property Bill (HB996)
The Heirs Property Bill passed through the House of Delegates and Senate unanimously and is now on it’s way to the Governor to be signed into law!