ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A RESOLUTION
25-595
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
July 9, 2024
To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to grant the Deputy Mayor for
Planning and Economic Development the authority to issue a grant to the African
American Civil War Museum to support the museum’s completion.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “African American Civil War Museum Limited Grant-Making
Authority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024”.
Sec. 2. (a) The African American Civil War Museum (“AACWM”) opened to the public
more than 20 years ago, and helps visitors understand the largely unknown role of black and
brown soldiers who fought for freedom from slavery during the Civil War. The AACWM
displays photographs, documents, and artifacts, and holds regular seminars and historic
presentations by community members. The museum serves as a unique resource for teachers,
scholars, students, and professionals of museum studies, descendants of Civil War soldiers, and
the general public. More than 200,000 visitors come to the Memorial and Museum each year.
(b) Emergency legislation is necessary to cover renovations and improvements to both
locations; to close the funding gap experienced by the AACWM to build out the museum into the
remainder of its facility
(c) Expansion of the AACWM will complete a key recommendation from Office of
Planning’s DUKE small area plan on the historic Cardozo/Shaw neighborhood, utilizing the
former Grimke School for the AACWM and its foundation.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances in Section 2 constitute emergency
circumstances, making it necessary that the African American Civil War Museum Limited
Grant-Making Authority Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.