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Its contemporary value is perhaps even more important. The black community in the United

States, as well as Native Americans and other minority groups are eagerly looking for representation

of their history and cultural impact. As the United States has recently recognized the need to bring

forward the African American history into view, regional, state, and national attention is seeking to

tell the lives like that of Mary and Eliza Freeman. The houses, while important in themselves, also

represent a wider culture and community which has now all but disappeared. Little Liberia was a

mixture of minority groups which despite their oppressions, managed to live free and independent

lives during the times at the dawning of the American Civil War. The story only continues to live on

even into countries outside the United States. For other minority groups in various countries who face

oppression, the Freeman Houses stand as a symbol of a turning point of one of the greatest nations in

the world, an example that many countries and peoples only continue to follow.

The largest hinderances to the future of the Freeman Houses has been that of money and publicity.

Setting the goals toward inclusion onto UNECO’s World Heritage list would vastly change the future

landscape the Mary and Eliza Freeman Center have for the site. As it is already included onto the

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