Victory! Blackwell School Formally Established as 430th National Park Site

WASHINGTON – Today, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland formally established the Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, Texas. The addition of Blackwell to the National Parks System brings the official tally of national park sites in the United States to a historic 430.

Following extensive advocacy by West Texans, the nonprofit Blackwell School Alliance, and the National Parks Conservation Association, President Biden signed the Blackwell School National Historic Site Act into law in 2022. This bipartisan bill was originally introduced in Congress by former Congressmen Will Hurd and Filemón Vela of Texas. Representative Tony Gonzales, Senator John Cornyn of Texas and Senator Alex Padilla of California brought the bill across the finish line.

The law directed the National Park Service to establish the school a national park site once the property was transferred to the federal government. After years of thorough planning and a meticulous deeding process, the Blackwell School property finally changed hands this summer, officially transferring the land from the Marfa Independent School District to NPS. This removed the final barrier to officially establishing Blackwell as the 430th national park site, and only the second such site dedicated to modern Latino history.

In communities across the Southwest, school districts once enforced “de facto segregation,” forcing Mexican American children to attend separate schools from their white peers. The Blackwell School was one such institution. Mexican American children at Blackwell were given outdated textbooks and shoddy equipment and in many cases were punished for speaking in their native language.

But despite those painful memories, many Blackwell alumni retain a mix of positive and negative sentiment for their experiences at the school. Many former students proudly recall their time in the marching band and on the football team, viewing the school as a flawed institution that nonetheless had a powerful impact on their lives.

That’s why in 2006, alumni rallied to save the Blackwell School from possible destruction. They founded the Blackwell School Alliance, arranging for the school to be turned into a local museum and landmark. Beginning in 2018, the Alliance partnered with the National Parks Conservation Association for a public, grassroots campaign to obtain National Park Service protection and recognition for the school.

NPCA has led the charge for new national park sites dedicated to diverse history, including the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, Amache National Historic Site, and Stonewall National Monument. Our national parks system must tell the full American story, which includes stories like the Blackwell School’s and beyond.

Statement of Cary Dupuy, Texas Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association:

“In formally establishing the Blackwell School National Historic Site today, the Biden administration has sent a powerful message echoing through our country. The message is that Latino stories matter. Latino history at Blackwell and beyond is pivotally important to understanding our country’s past, navigating its present, and building for its future.

“The Blackwell School is made up of adobe, mortar, and more than a hundred years of memories. Today, I join national park advocates in expressing our sincerest gratitude to the Blackwell alumni who worked together to save their school. This day was made possible by their leadership and by bipartisan teamwork from President Biden, Representative Gonzales, and Senators Cornyn and Padilla.

“At Blackwell, national park visitors can learn about the impacts that discrimination had on the Mexican American communities who have been the backbone of America’s borderlands for generations. We applaud the establishment of our country’s 430th national park site, the Blackwell School National Historic Site.”

Statement of Daniel O. Hernandez, President of the Blackwell School Alliance:

“Today, the Blackwell School is fully entrusted to the American people as a place of history, learning, and healing. We’re deeply grateful for all who have contributed their time and talents to this grassroots effort over the last two decades — especially our alumni, whose experiences will forever serve as the foundation for telling this story.

“We’re eager to continue working with the National Park Service and other partners to support the site’s development and interpretation in service of advancing a more complete account of American history.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.5 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org

About the Blackwell School Alliance: The Blackwell School Alliance and its partners preserve and restore historic resources associated with the Blackwell School; interpret and commemorate the era of segregated Hispanic education; and serve the Marfa, Texas, community culturally, historically, and educationally for the benefit of all Marfa residents and visitors, now and into the future. For more information, visit www.theblackwellschool.org.