Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) introduced the Civil Rights Landmarks Protection Act to protect civil rights landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. The bill comes on the heels of the Trump Administration putting the Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station, which houses the Freedom Rides Museum, on a list of properties for the General Services Administration (GSA) to sell.

“Our historic civil rights landmarks are not just Black history. They are not just Alabama history. They are American history, and they deserve to be protected for future generations," said Rep. Sewell. “After all, if we are to avoid repeating our painful past, we need to remember it, acknowledge it, and learn from it. Rest assured, Congressman Figures and I will not sit by and let Donald Trump, Elon Musk, or anyone else sell off historic landmarks like the Freedom Rides Museum to the highest bidder. Our civil rights history is not for sale.”

“The Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station, which is in my district, is a historic landmark that should be protected,” said Rep. Figures. “Former Congressman John Lewis and many other civil rights activists were nearly killed at this bus station for simply fighting for their constitutional rights. This landmark, and many others like it, are part of the story of America and we should not allow the Trump Administration—or any Administration—to simply sell it away.”

This legislation prohibits the sale of all federally-owned landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is operated by the National Park Service. If the federal government decides to sell a landmark listed on the Register, Congress must pass a resolution approving the sale. If Congress does not pass the resolution, then the landmark cannot be sold. 

On March 6, 2025, Sewell and Figures sent a letter to GSA calling for the immediate removal of the Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station from the list of properties slated for sale. To date, GSA has not responded to the request to remove the building from the list.

Bill text is available here.

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