BEAUFORT, S.C. — The National Park Service announces the addition of three new sites to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, including the Susie King Taylor Museum and Freedom Park in Midway.

The Reconstruction Era National Historic Network is an organization that provides visitors opportunities to connect to the stories of Reconstruction. Consisting of more than 100 sites and programs across the country, the network shares stories of freedom, education and self-determination during the Reconstruction Era (1861-1900) — the crucial transition period from slavery to freedom following the Civil War—with the public.

The Susie King Taylor Museum and Freedom Park promote the story of Susie King Taylor, who escaped slavery and served as a nurse and educator during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

The other new community sites are: Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, which has preserved over two centuries of its history, including the church’s influence during Reconstruction.

The Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., which promotes research, educational programs and community outreach to share the history of the civil rights movements that began during Reconstruction and beyond.

“We are pleased to add these three new sites to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network,” said Superintendent Laura Waller. “Each one helps us continue the important work of sharing how the nation grappled with integrating newly freed African Americans into the social, economic and labor systems after the end of the Civil War.”

The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act created the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network in 2019. The Reconstruction Era National Historical Park collectively manages this network, but the National Park Service does not manage all individual sites.

For more information about the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, visit https:// www.nps.gov/subjects/reconstruction/ network.htm