the public at the Commander General's house and the bandstand. The beaches are open to the public. The main general parking is located at Outlook Beach. National monument and historical interpretation On November 1, 2011, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation to designate portions of Fort Monroe as a national monument. This was the first time that President Obama exercised his authority under the Antiquities Act, a 1906 law to protect sites deemed to have natural, historical or scientific significance. Fort Monroe National Monument released its finalized foundation document in 2015. The National Park Service works with the Fort Monroe Authority on programming and maintenance. Eola Lewis Dance is the Acting Superintendent, supported by Ranger Aaron Firth. Terry E. Brown (2016-2020) and Kirsten Talken-Spaulding (2011-2016) also have served as Fort Monroe Superintendents. A Visitors and Education Center has been developed in the former Coast Artillery School Library, and is located at 30 Ingalls Road, next to the former Post Office that houses the offices for the Fort Monroe Authority. The building was designed by architect Francis B. Wheaton. The building had a soft opening in 2019 and opened, briefly, to the public in 2020. Its grand opening has been put on hold during the pandemic. The center houses exhibits that focus on the history of the fort. It also features public restrooms, a bookstore and, on the second level, archives. New walking tour markers and a brochure have been developed to help visitors better navigate the inner and outer fort. 1619 African Landing and commemoration Fort Monroe is noted as the location of the arrival of the first Africans to English-speaking North America. It was recorded "20 and odd" enslaved Africans were brought to Point Comfort, Virginia, in August 1619 on the White Lion. The enslaved were traded for provisions and marked the beginning of slavery in the colony. In 2019, Fort Monroe hosted multiple programs associated with commemorating African arrival in 1619. The 400th anniversary was marked by a Day of Healing and Nationwide Bell Ringing. One of the lives focused on during the commemoration was that of Angela, an enslaved woman owned by William Peirce. A memorial to the African Landing is currently being designed by the Fort Monroe Authority. Fort Monroe was designated as a Site of Memory with UNESCO's Slave Route Project in February 2021. Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid