MS Delta NHA board member Bubba O’Keefe, MS Delta NHA executive director Dr. Rolando Herts, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, and ANHA Chairwoman Sara Capen at the 2024 ANHA Heritage Champion Awards Congressional Breakfast in Washington, DC
U.S. Senator Hyde-Smith of Mississippi among five individuals honored for supporting and advancing America’s National Heritage Areas.
February 7, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC – Two Senators, two Members of the House, and the leader of one of 62 National Heritage Areas are Heritage Champions for 2024. Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is one of the 2024 Champions. The awardees were recognized during the Alliance of National Heritage Areas’ (ANHA) annual Congressional Breakfast and Awards Reception, which took place this morning in the Rayburn House Office Building. Heritage Champions have gone above and beyond to support and advance America’s National Heritage Areas.
“Our 2024 Heritage Champions have all played crucial roles in supporting and strengthening America’s National Heritage Areas,” said Sara Capen, Chairwoman of ANHA. “Whether it’s shepherding long-sought legislation that provides NHAs with long-term authorization and a steady stream of funding or supporting NHAs in their communities, NHAs are stronger because of the leadership of the 2024 class. The Alliance is incredibly appreciative of their efforts to ensure our members can tell America’s story and support their communities.”
“The Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area congratulates all of the 2024 Heritage Champions, in particular U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi,” said Dr. Rolando Herts, executive director of the MS Delta NHA and director of The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University. “As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Hyde-Smith helped to get the National Heritage Area Act passed through that committee. This action ultimately paved the way for the Act to be passed by the Senate by unanimous consent in December 2022, which has sustained all National Heritage Areas through 2037.”
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith receiving the ANHA Heritage Champion Award as Mr. O’Keefe, Dr. Herts, and Ms. Capen listen to her remarks.
The 2024 Heritage Champion awardees are
• Senator Hyde-Smith, who represents three NHAs - Mississippi Delta, Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Mississippi Hills - and was an early co-sponsor of the National Heritage Area Act.
• Dayton Sherrouse has served as the executive director of the Augusta Canal NHA in Georgia for 28 years. He is also a founding member of ANHA. He is retiring this year. Dayton is ANHA’s “Heritage Hero” for 2024.
• Senator Heinrich represents the Northern Rio Grande NHA and has been a staunch champion of National Heritage Areas, including playing a key role in ensuring the National Heritage Area Act could pass the Senate with unanimous consent.
• Former Representative Higgins represented Niagara Falls NHA and Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and is a longtime friend of ANHA. After a long and distinguished career, he resigned from Congress on February 2.
• Representative McGovern served as chair of the House Rules Committee in the last Congress, where he played an instrumental role in ensuring the National Heritage Area Act would become law. He also represents Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Freedom's Way National Heritage Area, and The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor.
President Ronald Reagan established National Heritage Areas in 1984 when he signed a bill that created the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area. Since then, 61 additional NHAs have been created across the United States, all through community-led efforts. Rather than an enclosed park as is typical of other programs administered by the National Park Service (NPS), NHAs are lived-in spaces that often span large geographic areas that cross multiple jurisdictions, including more than 600 counties in 35 states and one territory.
NHAs are administered by a local coordinating entity and receive matching funds through the National Park Service but are not National Park units. Importantly, they do not impact the private property rights of existing landowners within or adjacent to an NHA designation. In addition to Congressionally authorized matching funds, NPS provides technical assistance and a strong partnership. NHAs match every federal dollar with an average of $5.50 in state, local, and private contributions, and a 2012 study determined that NHAs are responsible for a nearly $13 billion economic impact in the communities they serve.
In January 2023, President Biden signed the National Heritage Area Act (S. 1942) into law. One of ANHA’s top priorities, the National Heritage Area Act created standard criteria for the funding, management, and designation of National Heritage Areas across the country and provides them an annual authorization of up to $1 million per year for 15 years. S. 1942 provided certainty and funding for 45 NHAs whose authorizations were set to sunset by the end of 2024. S. 1942 also authorized seven new National Heritage Areas.
To learn more about NHAs, their value, and their work, please visit https://www.nationalheritageareas.us.
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CONTACT: Lewis Lowe
lewisl@strategies360.com; 706-302-8404
The Alliance of National Heritage Areas works collectively to protect and promote the people and places that tell America’s stories. We are a membership organization of congressionally designated National Heritage Areas and partner-affiliated organizations promoting the professionalism and benefits of the program through education and advocacy. Together, we facilitate and celebrate partnerships that improve our effectiveness and impact.