NC H254

Appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Cultural Resources for fiscal year 2011-2012 and $100,000 for fiscal year 2012-2013 to support the African-American Heritage Commission's operations.

Commission was established in 2008 to assist the Secretary of Cultural Resources in preserving, interpreting, and promoting African-American history, arts, and culture.

Commission's past accomplishments include providing support for the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, Civil War 150th anniversary initiatives, heritage publications, archival acquisitions, and technical assistance to heritage practitioners.

Funding will enable the Commission to engage communities, develop an online heritage database, build partnerships supporting heritage education and tourism, and support preservation of African-American historic structures and heritage workforce development.

Effective date: July 1, 2011.