In 2018, the State Historic Preservation Office launched a statewide survey to document the sites and share the stories of the 20th century struggle to achieve full civil rights for African Americans in Iowa. With public input and a grant from the National Park Service, the multi-year project identified people who were unrecognized for the roles they played in civil rights history, as well as properties with previously undocumented connections to the Civil Rights Movement, including homes, schools, businesses, restaurants, places of worship, government buildings, neighborhoods and more.
National Register of Historic Places
As of 2018, the National Register of Historic Places listed three Iowa properties that were associated with African American civil rights history during the 20th century:
- Buxton Historic Townsite, Monroe County
- Fort Des Moines, Des Moines
- Flynn-Griffin Building, Des Moines