An Act to authorize the erection of a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor the estimated five thousand courageous slaves and free black persons who served as soldiers or provided civilian assistance during the American Revolution and to honor the countless black men, women, and children who ran away from slavery.
Public Law 99-558 · H.J.Res. 142 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 27, 1986 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT-6)
Cosponsors (116): Rep. Charlie Rangel, Rep. Mike DeWine,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Authorizes the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation to establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor the courageous slaves and free black persons who participated in the American Revolution and the countless black slaves who sought freedom from slavery. Requires the memorial to be established without Federal funding and in accordance with a specified Act as approved by the House of Representatives on September 29, 1986.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Committee on House Administration · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Oct 27, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-558.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 21, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 17, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 19, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 17, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 7, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Nov 6, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 408 - 0 (Record Vote No: 393).House roll call 393
- Oct 29, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Committee on House Administration
- Oct 23, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Committee on House Administration
- Jun 13, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Committee on House Administration
- Feb 7, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Committee on House Administration
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.