Georgia congressmen John Lewis and Barry Loudermilk both had a good Wednesday.
The House of Representatives passed both of their resolutions. Lewis expanded the MLK National Site to include King’s Prince Hall Masonic Lodge and, most importantly, got it upgraded to a national historic park. Loudermilk’s resolution means the U.S. government can acquire the historic Wallis House and Harriston Hill from Cobb County by donation.
“This is a proud moment for the state of Georgia, and for the 5th Congressional District. This was a bi-partisan, revenue neutral bill with 77 co-sponsors. We expect it to pass today and that it will move swiftly through the Senate. What Dr. King and others accomplished in Atlanta, the heartbeat of the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century and the headquarters for non-violent action in America, changed this nation forever. I am glad that federal resources will now be used to preserve his home, his church, his masonic lodge and other places important to his leadership for generations yet unborn.”
Loudermilk said in a statement:
“It is extremely important that we understand our history, otherwise we will be destined to repeat the mistakes of our past. Today, Congress took a significant step toward preserving two pieces of property at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park that are essential parts of our nation’s heritage and Civil War history. Sites such as these allow us to look back in time to get a glimpse of the events that shaped our nation.”