Terri Sewell presents federal funds to Miles College for preservation of Williams Hall
Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined Miles College leaders on Monday for a ceremony announcing the award of federal National Park Service funds to preserve historic Williams Hall. This was part of a National Park Service (NPS) $9.7 million award to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). “Great morning at Miles College, where I presented a check for half a million dollars from the National Park Service that I helped secure to preserve Williams Hall on campus!” Sewell said on Facebook. “Our HBCUs have played such a critical role in our nation’s history and I will always fight to ensure they get the support they need to develop the next generation of Black leaders and scholars!” Williams Hall was constructed in 1907 and is the oldest building on the Miles College campus. Miles previously received $499,869 from the National Park Service to preserve and restore the historic building in August 2021. “Each year, as Congress makes critical decisions about which federal programs to fund, ensuring that preservation projects on HBCU campuses get the robust funding they deserve remains one of my top legislative priorities,” Sewell said. “I’m thrilled to see that Alabama HBCUs are once again beneficiaries of this program.” Sewell said that the award will allow the College to begin the next phase of restoring and preserving the historic building. The National Park Service announced back in July that it would award $9.7 million to HBCUs, with HBCUs in Alabama receiving $2.5 million. Alabama State University, Miles College, Selma University, Alabama A&M University, and Stillman College are all receiving funds. “I’m thrilled to announce that the National Park Service is investing $2.5 million to preserve historic structures on the campuses of Alabama’s HBCUs,” Sewell stated. “This is a big win for Alabama. Alabama’s 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.” 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. “For more than 180 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have provided high-level academics, opportunities, and community for generations of students,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “These grants enable HBCUs to preserve the noteworthy structures that honor the past and tell the ongoing story of these historic institutions.” Sewell is seeking her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. She faces opposition from Libertarian Gavin Goodman and Republican Beatrice Nichols. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
