Norton's Bill Honoring the Historic Langston Golf Course Expected to Pass in House Today (2/22/2010)

Norton's Bill Honoring the Historic Langston Golf Course Expected to Pass in the House

Today

WASHINGTON, DC - On the eve of her Black History Month celebration of Historic U Street and the 100th Anniversary of the Howard Theatre, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes (D-DC) Norton's resolution honoring the historic Langston Golf Course, the only federally-supported, one-time segregated golf course open to African Americans, is expected to pass on the House floor today. The Congresswoman last year introduced H. Res. 526, recognizing the 70th Anniversary of Langston Golf Course in Northeast, which today is played by Members of Congress and staff alike. Following pressure from African Americans in the District, who were excluded from regular participation at golf courses here, the Langston Golf Course was officially opened in 1939 as a segregated golf facility for African Americans and was named for John Mercer Langston, a renowned Howard University educator, prominent political figure and the first African American Congressman from Virginia, elected in 1888. The bill is scheduled for debate on the floor at about 2:30 p.m. today.

The Congresswoman also has introduced the Golf Course Preservation and Modernization Act of 2009, a bill to pave the way for investments and improvements at the Langston, Rock Creek and East Potomac golf courses here in the District. The Preservation and Modernization bill would allow the National Park Service (NPS), which owns the three courses, to use public-private partnerships to rehabilitate the courses. The Preservation and Modernization bill also mandates that all three courses be combined into a single competitive request for proposals in order to generate ideas and alternatives that will lead to renovations while preserving their historic features.