National Museum of African American History and Culture Act

Mr. President, today is a truly historic day. After nearly three-quarters of a century of trying, a national museum dedicated to telling the story of the African American struggle and contribution to the founding and development of this country is about to be realized with passage of H.R. 3491, legislation to create a National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Many individuals are to be congratulated and thanked for their efforts to bring this dream to fruition. In the Senate, my distinguished colleague and author of legislation this Congress to authorize the African American Museum, Senator Sam Brownback, has been a champion of this effort for the past two Congresses. I was pleased to be his coauthor on this measure.

As chairman of the Senate Rules Committee last Congress, it was my great honor to work with him to produce legislation to create the Presidential Commission, whose report underpinned the legislation we introduced earlier this year. We would not be voting on this matter today but for the continuing efforts of Senator Brownback.

In the House, my good friend, Congressman Bob Ney, and my friend and colleague from Connecticut, Congressman John Larson, worked with us to find a compromise that could be supported in the House and shepherded this legislation to passage on the House suspension calendar on Wednesday by an overwhelming vote of 409 to 9. Their diligence and dedication to this effort was tireless.

But no one deserves more credit for helping to realize this dream than does my dear friend from Georgia, Congressman John Lewis. This bill is truly his dream, his inspiration, his vision, his mission.

For nearly 12 years John Lewis has made creation of this museum his personal crusade. It has been a labor of love and while the road has been long and filled with bumps, the victory today is his victory. I salute John Lewis for his courage and tireless dedication to this cause.

But the ultimate winner today is not just a handful of Members, it is our Nation as a whole. For today, Congress has acted to heal old wounds of the past and formally acknowledge that the stories and contributions of African Americans to the birth and growth of this great Nation must be told to complete our history.

Since 1929, efforts have been made to recognize the contributions and unique history of Americans of African descent. It is past time that we publicly acknowledge and incorporate the African American experience into our collective identity.

This legislation will help ensure that the compelling stories and invaluable contributions of African Americans to our national fabric will no longer be ignored, but shared with all Americans, indeed, all peoples of the world.

With the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Americans of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and personal histories can come together to celebrate the contributions of all Americans to the rich heritage and culture that is the American melting pot.

That is the essence of this legislation--the completion of the American story of our quest for freedom and truth through the public incorporation of the experiences and contributions of African Americans to that struggle. This Museum offers the promise and hope that all Americans can come to understand the full story of how this nation was formed.

The House bill before us is virtually identical to the bill Senator Brownback and I introduced in May of this year, S. 1157, which the Senate passed on June 23rd.

This legislation directs the Smithsonian Institution to establish a museum known as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Within 12 months of enactment, the Smithsonian Board of Regents will choose a site for this Museum from among four sites listed in the bill.

With regard to the sites available for selection, the House bill deletes the Capitol grounds site contained in the Senate-passed bill and substitutes a fourth site, known as the ``Banneker Overlook site'' located on 10th Street Southwest at the foot of the L'Enfant Plaza promenade on axis with the Smithsonian Castle.

The bill directs that, prior to the selection of the site, the Board of Regents will consult with the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission and the chair of the Commission on Fine Arts, as well as the chairman of the Presidential Commission, Congressional oversight committees and others.

In the meantime, the Smithsonian Board of Regents will appoint a 19 member council, comprised of leaders within the African American community and others, to advise the Regents on the development, design and construction of the Museum.

With regard to the selection of these council members, I was disappointed that the House deleted a provision in the Senate-passed bill which would have required that at least 9 members of the council be of African American descent.

This important provision in the Senate-passed bill was modeled on provisions of the act which created the National Museum of the American Indian. As in the case of that Museum, this language was intended to ensure that the sensitivities and perspectives of those individuals whose stories this Museum will tell are properly considered and portrayed.

Although I regret that the House deleted this provision, the bill still requires that, in appointing 17 of the 19 members of the council, the Board of Regents take into consideration individuals recommended by organizations and entities that are committed to the advancement of knowledge of African American life, art, history, and culture.

Although this change weakens the Senate version of this bill some, the Smithsonian Institution can still ensure the integrity of the content of this museum by appointing members to the council in keeping with the Senate's original intent. As the ranking member of the Rules Committee which has oversight jurisdiction over the Smithsonian, I look forward to working with the Smithsonian to see that this happens.

This Museum will include exhibits and programs relating to all aspects of African American life, art, history, and culture from the time of slavery through present day and will provide leadership to other museums and will collaborate with historically Black colleges and universities and educational organizations to ensure the integrity of the exhibits and programming and to broaden the reach of its story and mission.

The House compromise also retains provisions of the Senate-passed bill which authorizes a grant program within the National Institute of Museum and Library Services. This program is intended to support organizations dedicated to expanding the knowledge of the African American experience and slavery by providing support for improving operations, care of collections, and intern and scholarship programs.

Equally important is a provision which will provide grants to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the study of the African American diaspora. Such grants can be used to increase existing endowment funds for the purpose of enhancing education programs and maintaining and operating traveling exhibits.

In Connecticut, we are fortunate to have such an organization in Amistad America, Inc. Amistad America is a national, non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting the legacies of the Amistad incident of 1839 through the traveling exhibit of the freedom schooner Amistad.

The Amistad is literally a floating classroom which celebrates and teaches the historic lessons of perseverance, leadership, cooperation, justice, and freedom inherent in the Amistad Incident. Although its home port is New Haven, CT, the freedom schooner Amistad travels to both national and international ports to bring the story of our collective history and the continuing struggle for equality and human rights to school children and adults around the globe.

It is through the efforts of such organizations as Amistad America, with the support of the new Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Institute of Museum and Library Services, that we can ensure that the lessons of the past are not lost on current or future generations.

In short, this legislation offers the hope that through knowledge and education, the history of the struggles for freedom and equality of some Americans becomes the interwoven history of all Americans and ensures that future generations will not have to repeat such struggles.

I was honored to be the lead Democratic sponsor of this legislation in the Senate, and I am honored to stand before the Senate today to urge my colleagues to adopt this compromise which the House has passed and send this measure to the President for his signature.

We would not be at this point today without the dedication and assistance of many people, including the staff who labor many hours and late into the night to facilitate the legislative process. At the risk of leaving someone off the list, I want to recognize those staff for their considerable contributions to this measure, including LaRochelle Young of Senator Brownback's staff; Michael Collins and Tammy Boyd of Congressman John Lewis's staff; Paul Vinovich and George Hagijski of Congressman Bob Ney's House Administration Committee staff; George Shevlin and Matt Pinkus of Congressman John Larson's House Administration Committee staff; Susan Brita of Congressman James Oberstar's House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff; Dan Mathews of Congressman Steven LaTourette's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff; Bill Johnson of Congressman Jack Kingston's staff; and Kennie Gill of my Rules Committee staff.

The action we take today is historic not only in its ability to unify this nation, but in its message to the world that we recognize and cherish the contributions of all Americans to the creation of this great democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) for his graciousness and for yielding to me. I want to first offer my gratitude to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) who had to get us all together and work very closely with us so that we could achieve agreement on this bill, agreement that would be accepted by the other body as well. That took some skill.

I need to compliment and thank my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), the chair of the Transportation subcommittee which has jurisdiction over this bill, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, because his patience and graciousness were important here, as well as in not insisting that we have yet another hearing on the bill but move forward rapidly so that the bill could be approved during this session.

But, of course, no one deserves more credit for what we do tonight than my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), whom I knew as a colleague in another life, a colleague in a life in which he was held in just the high esteem that he is held in this body, and that says something. So it is perfectly fitting that the major sponsor of this bill would be the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis). Who would have thought 40 years ago that he or I would be here or that there would ever be such a bill.

It is a great tribute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) that when he first came to the Congress and was a part of the Committee on Transportation and the subcommittee that has jurisdiction that this is one of the first bills that he authored. So for him, this is a stellar moment. In a real sense what we do tonight is to pick up the baton. It has been dropped over and over again for 100 years. There have been many tries in both Houses. And what is important about what we do tonight is that we brought both Houses together.

I remember being on the committee when we passed the bill, guided it to the floor, thought we had the work done. Tonight, we know we have the work done because we know both Houses approved this bill.

Why an African American museum? I do want to say a word about that. Because there might be museums, perhaps should be museums for many, many kinds of people who have come to our shores. And I take nothing from them when I say that I hope that they attain some such recognition in our city. But no one can doubt that there is no American story without telling the story of African Americans in this country who came to this country as it was being founded, as it was being born, before it was a Nation.

We cannot understand the greatness of our Nation without understanding what our country has overcome. We can know that we can do anything if we come to grips with where we were, understand it, and see where we have come to. We are a Nation who started with original sin, with slavery, and then progressed only to discrimination under law.

And what makes this story so important for us, and for Americans of every background, is to look at the history and where it has brought us. If we start even in this city, the city of my birth, and see the end of slavery, the establishment of the Freeman's Bureau and Howard University named for a Civil War general, but then look at the sad history of this city, the Capital of the United States, where I went to segregated schools and had public accommodations that were segregated. But then look to the poor people's campaign and the march on Washington and the triumph of true Americanism,

this story needs to be told. Because when we get discouraged about not being all we want to be, we need to go to an African American museum and see from whence we came.

Finally, let me say that my own constituents, the people of the District of Columbia, this majority African American city have been in true Thanksgiving that we would get to this day. I commend the Presidential commission consisting of many citizens from across the Nation, including citizens of this town that have worked single- handedly for this bill. But for the people who live here, who consider themselves the guardians of the city's museums and monuments, this is a very special day. We promise to indeed be a guardian of this museum, to work closely with my good friends the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), with all of those who have supported us on this bill, so we can raise the funds now that we have an obligation in writing, in this bill, from our country to, in fact, realize this bill so that we can all be at the groundbreaking. I thank both gentlemen again for their leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be cosponsor of H.R. 3491, a bill to establish within the Smithsonian complex the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The most important new national museum in decades as we take this giant step to making the museum a reality, praise and thanks must be extended to Congressman John Lewis, my friend who introduced this bill when he was first elected to Congress and before I was elected to Congress.

My strong support for this bill has several sources. I have been a cosponsor of the museum bill since my first term in Congress in 1991. I have been a member of the Transportation Subcommittee that often considered the museum bill during the several years when the museum was repeatedly debated and voted. The House passed the museum bill during the 103rd Congress only to have Senator Jesse Helms stop it in the Senate. I represent the District of Columbia whose residents consider themselves the guardians of our memorials, a city with a majority African-American population that has watched and waited from the front row for the promised museum. I am a fourth generation Washingtonian with what I must admit is a personal stake that I trace to my great grandfather, Richard Holmes, who walked away from slavery in Virginia long before the Civil War to start a new life and a family in the District, where my family has long awaited the museum. Finally, I am an African-American who joins millions of blacks and people of every color and background that have asked for the promise of an African American museum to be kept.

This bill is a good bill. It lists four sites for the location of the museum. I am pleased to see the working relationships between the Smithsonian and the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC) are preserved. The bill provides that the Board of Regents will consult with not only the NCPC and the Commission on Fine Arts, but also the Chair and Vice Chair of the Presidential Commission, and further the Chair of the Commission's Site Subcommittee. The appropriate Congressional Committees will also be consulted regarding the final site selection. The bill also provides for a 50/50 split in cost sharing for the museum, 50% of the cost to be paid by the federal government and 50% to come from the private sector. Finally, the bill authorizes $17m in FY04 for the Smithsonian to carry out its duties under the Act and such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

This bill is especially appreciated, considering that in one form or another this subject has been before Congress for nearly 100 years. Civil War veterans first raised the idea of a memorial as they sought recognition for their service to their country in all its wars and for their ancestors because the country's large population of slaves, free blacks and their descendants were instrumental in building our nation. Colonel Charles Young, the highest ranking African American officer and the third black graduate of West Point asked Congress in 1919 for ``a memorial to the Negro dead and that that memorial be the thing for which these Negroes gave their lives--liberty, justice, equal opportunities and educational facilities, the suppression of lynching by making it a federal crime [and] the abolition of jimcrow [sic] cars.'' No one can doubt that the case for the museum has long ago been made. It was accepted and recognized by Congress as a worthy project, including a $50,000 appropriation even in 1929, at a time when racial segregation was the law of the land.

Much work has been done, and much work lies ahead of us, but passage of this bill will be a giant step forward to placing African American history in its appropriate place in our Nation's story. Mr. Speaker I would like to quote from the museum's mission statement:

``The National Museum of African American History and Culture will give voice to the centrality of the African American experience and will make it possible for all people to understand the depth, complexity, and promise of the American experience. The museum will serve as a national forum for collaboration with educational and cultural institutions in the continuing quest for freedom, truth, and human dignity.''

H.R. 3491 is a historic bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3491) to establish within the Smithsonian Institution the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3491 establishes the National Museum of African American History and Culture within the Smithsonian Institution. This is a long, long overdue bill. This is a proud night for the House and a proud night for all in the United States, for citizens of all races, all ethnic backgrounds, and people of all income levels and all walks of life here in our great country. I am very proud that this Congress, the 108th Congress, has stepped up to the plate to pass this bill. This concept for such a museum has been around for quite some time, but it has never been this close to reality as tonight. The credit for bringing us to where we are tonight rests with the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who has worked tirelessly, endlessly on this legislation since 1988. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) has paired up with the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), another fellow Georgian in this Congress, and together they have worked in a bipartisan manner with many of our colleagues to address any concerns and surmount any barriers in the way of this bill. I also want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), our ranking member, and the members of the Committee on House Administration who have worked, I believe, in a very quick and diligent manner to have this bill again come to a vote on the floor of the U.S. House.

Credit also should be given to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) whose subcommittee has jurisdiction over the construction portion of the museum. Without the help of these Members, Mr. Speaker, and their staff, reaching a consensus would not have been possible within the time frame in which it was achieved.

The establishment of this museum will go a long way in educating our future generations and recognizing the many contributions of African Americans throughout our Nation's history. The proposed museum would take a step in acknowledging many, and I repeat, many of the sacrifices that have been made and provide a comprehensive history about significant events and individuals.

Several years ago Congress agreed that in order to take the next step towards this museum, any remaining questions or issues had to be resolved. In December of 2001, President Bush signed Public Law 107- 106, which created a Presidential Commission to research and evaluate issues related to the establishment of the proposed African American Museum and to develop a plan for action to bring this vision to reality.

This Presidential Commission should also be applauded for their diligent work and research on the proposed museum. Their hard work provided us with many answers to questions related to site location, potential costs for museum, the fund-raising ability of the private sector, and the potential for exhibits and artifacts for this museum.

The proposed museum will reside within the structure of the Smithsonian Institution. As the Nation's keeper of history and culture, the Smithsonian is an ideal body of inclusion for just such a museum. This bill authorizes the Smithsonian to identify a site for the museum from a list of recommended sites provided to Congress from the Presidential Commission. Once a site has been selected, the legislation authorizes the Smithsonian's governing Board of Regents to plan, design, and construct a building for the museum that will be paid for through a public/private partnership which would be split 50 percent Federal funds and 50 percent private funding, and I have no doubt tonight, and I talked with the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) about this and our ranking member and other Members, and I have no doubt, again I want to stress, that the private funding will be there. Support for this will come from not only the United States, but I believe from around the world of citizens realizing this great museum and its tremendous worth to all people in the United States.

This legislation authorizes an initial amount of $17 million for fiscal year 2004 for carrying out this act, and it further authorizes an initial amount of

$15 million for fiscal year 2004 that will be used for education and liaison programs that will be used to carry out the goals of this museum.

Langston Hughes, a great African American author and poet, said ``Dream your dreams but be willing to pay the sacrifice to make them come true.'' African Americans have paid many sacrifices in this country, and tonight the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) and the other Members that are supporting this have had a dream and they have surely paid the sacrifice of their time, their efforts, and all the promotion of this museum, which is going to be such a positive force for our country.

This proposed museum has broad bipartisan support from both Houses of Congress, the administration, and the Smithsonian Institution. It is a worthwhile project that will have a very positive and lasting influence on our country for today and also tomorrow's generations. And I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me close by thanking the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the primary authors of this bill, our colleagues Senator Dodd and Senator Brownback, our ranking member, members of House Administration.

I noted earlier that this was going to be for future generations. I need to note also that this is for the memory of all past generations. I urge all Members to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 3491 on this historic day and to congratulate the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), a living legacy on the culmination of 17 years of work in this House to create this national museum within the Smithsonian. His effort has been part of a broader campaign spanning nearly 90 years to obtain recognition for the contributions of African Americans to our Nation's history and culture. The chairman has said it well. This is a proud day for all Americans and indeed for our country and for this great Chamber. This gentleman of vision will rise later and address this issue.

I also want to congratulate the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, as the chairman mentioned, along with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), who has jurisdiction over the project. She vigorously presented the views of the citizens of our Nation's capital who live in the shadow of many museums, monuments, and other historic structures representing America's living history. She is, as we all know, the First Lady of Washington, D.C.

I would especially like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Ney) and especially for the sensitivity and his deep appreciation for the historic significance and importance of this issue to his fellow colleagues and to this Nation we are all pledged to serve. He not only expedited the hearings, but he also brought this bill to the floor in a timely manner, so that to paraphrase Martin Luther King, we might be able to say here at last, here at last, thank God Almighty, this bill is here at last.

In addition, I want to thank the majority staff members, Paul Vinovich, who is here today, and George Hadijski. Their efforts, as people on this committee know, in order to move this bill forward were so critical, and again their great sensitivity and concern and outreach to all parties, I think, is testimony to how this committee works and certainly a tribute to the chairman of this committee, and I cannot thank them enough for what they have done this evening. It brings great pride to African Americans, Americans in general, and it makes it an honor for all of us to be a part of it.

I would be remiss if I did not commend the minority committee staff as well, Susan Brita of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and of course the irrepressible and irresistible Matt Pinkus for his great contribution to the Committee on House Administration and for their work on this bill and previous Congresses on behalf of the two House committees of primary jurisdiction.

We are also here today due to the work of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Plan for Action Presidential Commission, created by Public Law 107-106, which presented this report and recommendations to us on April 2, 2003. In addition to the Commission, the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian has consistently supported the museum while helping us create a new entity that can be appropriately managed within the traditional Smithsonian framework of governance.

I am equally proud of the fact that the AMISTAD America not only supports this, but will be a key part of this museum. I had the great honor to bring many of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus to Connecticut when we christened the Amistad, and indeed that was a highlight for me and so many of my colleagues to come to Connecticut and see the christening of this historic boat, and what a historic journey that has been as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who was responsible for this bill being on the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald), who is an outstanding member of our committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the first lady of the District, who is the ranking member on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that the chairman duly noted in his remarks who was so instrumental in bringing this legislation before us.

(Ms. NORTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, let me close by saying what great pride I have this evening, especially to stand with two colleagues who will definitely be in that museum, to be here with two outstanding Members of Congress who are a living legacy, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton). Their deeds speak so highly of their commitment.

This week we will celebrate or look back on the passing of President Kennedy. President Kennedy was fond of saying that communities reveal an awful lot about themselves in memorials, monuments that they create. What a great and lasting tribute my colleagues are leaving through their great efforts with the establishment and creation of this museum.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing this project through to its fruition.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, over 200 years ago, there was a dream that was America for a group of individuals who were brought to our shores in shackles. A dream so powerful that compelled a race of people to fight for the liberty of others when they were in bondage themselves. A dream that not only served as a catalyst for physical liberation in the African-American community but removed societal shackles from our culture and enabled us to realize the ideals set before us in the Constitution--that all men are created equal under God.

Today, I am proud to stand here with my colleagues, from both the House and the Senate, and announce the passage of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture Act. After over 70 years, we have finally created a museum to honor--nationally--the contributions and sacrifice of African Americans in this country.

I would specifically like to thank Senator Dodd, who was committed to honoring this history and has worked hard to get us to this point today.

I would also like to thank Senator Trent Lott for his unwavering support to move this bill through the Committee of Jurisdiction. As well as Senator Ted Stevens for his leadership and commitment to this project.

Additionally, I would like to recognize Senator Santorum for his continued unwavering commitment to this bill as well as the majority leader of the Senate, Senator Bill Frist. It means a great deal to have such widespread support and I am grateful.

Perhaps most important, I would like to thank Representative John Lewis for championing this bill for over 15 years. It has been a pleasure for me to work with you, John, on this bill.

With the creation of this museum, we will celebrate a rich and magnificent history. A history of a people's quest for freedom that shaped this Nation into a symbol of freedom and democracy around the world. I am proud to

stand here today with my colleagues and celebrate the passage of this wonderful bill.

Perhaps most important, I believe that this museum will be a catalyst for needed racial reconciliation in this country. There will be many tears shed at this museum--tears that cleanse the soul and that transcend race, creed, and color.

I remember when I met with the dean of the Afro-American Studies at Howard University. He told me of a story about his grandfather who finished a bowl the day the Emancipation Proclamation was authorized.

His grandfather decided to keep the bowl because it no longer was the property of a slave master but the man who made it--his grandfather. The dean has this bowl in his home--an incredible piece of history and I am sure there are many more pieces out there waiting for a home--a national home and today we have ensured that there will indeed be a home for such artifacts.

Specifically, this bill creates this museum within the Smithsonian Institution--America's premier museum complex. We have worked very hard with the Smithsonian Institution to craft a bill that will compliment their programs--and indeed we have done just that.

The legislation outlines a museum that is very similar to the American Indian Museum, slated to open next year. And I know that the Smithsonian Institution will create another national treasure, one that tells the story of African Americans in this country--a proud history, a rich history.

This bill charges the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution along with the Council of the National Museum to plan, build and construct a museum dedicated to celebrating nationally African-American history--which is American history.

In addition, this bill charges the board of regents with choosing a site on or adjacent to the National Mall for the location of the museum.

Additionally, the bill instructs the director of the museum to create and oversee an education and program liaison section designed to work with educational institutions and museums across the country in order to promote African-American history.

Finally, the bill sets fourth a federal-private partnership for funding the museum and creates a council for the museum, which will be comprised from a mixture of leading African Americans from the museum, historical, and business communities.

I do not pretend that this museum is a panacea for racial reconciliation. It is, however, a productive step in recognizing the important contributions African Americans have made to this country.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once expressed his desire for this Nation, ``That the dark clouds of [misconceptions] will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear- drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great Nation with all their scintillating beauty.'' We are one step closer today--God bless.