§ 19.07 People's history project.
1.The legislature hereby finds and\ndeclares that the history of New York state is replete with persons,\nsites, and events of both local and statewide importance that have\nheretofore been overlooked by mainstream, established history. The\nstate's historical sites and history as it is taught in school and\npopularly recorded fail to take into consideration the multitude of\npeoples who have built this state, a state that has been significantly\nimpacted by immigrant and ethnic populations of this country and home to\nthe majority of social and economic movements of the last four hundred\nyears. It is time to recognize those from every background who have\ncontributed to the history of this state, and give new cause for pride\nand create new role model
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§ 19.07 People's history project. 1. The legislature hereby finds and\ndeclares that the history of New York state is replete with persons,\nsites, and events of both local and statewide importance that have\nheretofore been overlooked by mainstream, established history. The\nstate's historical sites and history as it is taught in school and\npopularly recorded fail to take into consideration the multitude of\npeoples who have built this state, a state that has been significantly\nimpacted by immigrant and ethnic populations of this country and home to\nthe majority of social and economic movements of the last four hundred\nyears. It is time to recognize those from every background who have\ncontributed to the history of this state, and give new cause for pride\nand create new role models for all people. Recognizing such historical\nsites, events and persons will also contribute to tourism, especially\nspecial niche tourism, and consequently contribute to the economic\ndevelopment of the state, especially in areas that are underdeveloped\neconomically and disadvantaged.\n 2. The commissioner shall establish within the office a people's\nhistory committee. The members of the committee shall be appointed by\nthe commissioner and shall be representative of academic and\nprofessional historians, members of local historical societies and other\nsuch groups. Such members of the committee shall reflect the diversity\nof the residents of this state with regard to race, ethnicity, gender,\nlanguage, and geographic residence. The members of the committee shall\nserve without compensation, but shall be allowed their actual and\nnecessary expenses.\n 3. The commissioner shall establish a process whereby the people of\nthe state may nominate persons, sites, and events of historical\nsignificance each year for inclusion in the people's history project who\nmay be of local, regional, statewide or national significance. The\ncommittee, in consultation with local historians, historical societies,\nand other authorities, where appropriate, shall evaluate the merits of\nsuch nominees, and may select up to ten persons, sites or events per\nyear for inclusion in the people's history project. In its evaluation of\nthe merits of nominees, such commission shall consider, including but\nnot limited to, the following factors: the historical impact of such\nperson, site or event, how such impact changed history, and the effect\nthat such person, site or event had on the state and whether such\nperson, site, or event that has been overlooked.\n 4. For nominees approved by the committee, suitable commemorative\nmarkers of selected sites may be erected at the appropriate location or\nlocations as determined by the commissioner. The office shall maintain a\nwebsite listing the persons, sites, and events selected by the\ncommittee, a description thereof, a map showing the locations thereof if\napplicable, and any other relevant information.\n