A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the completion of the north carolina civil war & reconstruction history center.
Whereas, the American Civil War was the most cataclysmic and transformative episode in the history of the United States and in North Carolina; and
Whereas, the echoes of the events that occurred before, during, and after the War continue to reverberate today; and
Whereas, no state has presented a comprehensive view of the effect of those times on all of its peoples—until the creation of the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center (Center); and
Whereas, the Center will tell the stories of ordinary people, including women, children, African‑Americans, both freed and enslaved, the elderly, yeoman farmers, Quaker pacifists, and pro‑secessionists; and
Whereas, the Center will tell those stories through interactive exhibits created by experienced and tested exhibit designers within the 65,000 sq. ft. facility, with much of this content also available via the Internet; and
Whereas, the Center will work with and promote other Civil War and Reconstruction history sites throughout North Carolina; and
Whereas, the State's most recognized historians and scholars have worked to develop a balanced, fact‑based accounting of the history that depicts the accurate record of slavery, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era in North Carolina between 1835 and 1900; and
Whereas, the primary goal for the Center is for visitors and digital outreach users to come away with a more complete understanding of the era and a better knowledge of their relationship to their history; and
Whereas, the Center is developing a K‑12 digital educational program that will be accessible to schoolrooms throughout the State and be a significant and necessary adjunct for educators who teach North Carolina history; and
Whereas, the Center's plans for its digital educational program have the endorsement of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education; and
Whereas, the digital educational program was successfully unveiled at a statewide conference of social studies teachers at its annual conference in March 2019; and
Whereas, the present site of the State's Museum of the Cape Fear is the home of the remains of the Fayetteville Arsenal, which was targeted by General William Sherman for destruction in the closing weeks of the War; and
Whereas, the General Assembly made a $1 million appropriation in 2006‑2007 toward developing and completing the appropriate planning for protection of the historic site and the creation of a statewide history center on the Arsenal site; and
Whereas, since that time an additional $23 million has been secured in cash and pledges, including $7.5 million each from the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, towards the $80 million needed to complete construction of the Center and develop the statewide digital educational program; and
Whereas, the General Assembly appropriated $2.5 million and a $2.5 million challenge grant during the 2016‑2017 fiscal year; and
Whereas, the Center will announce it has met this match next month, four months ahead of schedule; and
Whereas, the Center will become part of the North Carolina Museum of History System; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in the 2019‑2020 fiscal year and the sum of forty‑five million dollars ($45,000,000) in the 2020‑2021 fiscal year in nonrecurring funds to complete the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.