WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) released the following statements after the Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act passed the Senate. This legislation, introduced by Sen. Cornyn in the Senate and by Rep. Jackson Lee in the House, provides for the study of the Emancipation National Historic Trail, a 51-mile route from the former Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston to Freedmen’s Town and Emancipation Park in Houston.
“When Major General Granger arrived in Galveston with news that all slaves were free, he changed countless lives as well as the course of history,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By commemorating the trek so many families took to spread the great news, we can honor those families and celebrate the freedom we cherish as Texans and Americans.”
“The Emancipation National Historic Trail will help tell the story of many peoples who are critical to understanding our nation’s past and future,” said Rep. Jackson Lee. “In addition to preserving this important heritage, the Emancipation National Historic Trail is estimated to generate millions of dollars and hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs for the Texas region’s economy.”
The Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives in May.