America’s capital has opened its doors to a new museum dedicated to the history of African Americans in the country., on Friday.
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First Lady Michelle Obama hugs former President George W. Bush as she arrives with President Obama and former First Lady Laura Bush for the dedication of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
The NMAAHC will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life, history, and culture, according to the NMAAHC website.
In this photo September 14, 2016, final preparations are being made for the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. “It’s absolutely breathtaking for me”, said Verna Eggleston, 61, of New York City, who was touring the museum later Saturday. Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, a longtime civil rights icon, worked with then-Sen.
“This place is more than a building, it is a dream come true”, Civil Rights activist and U.S. Rep. John Lewis said. The museum was established in 2003 but construction didn’t begin until 2012.
The audience that needs to see and hear the stories of African-American struggles and contributions “is large enough for all of us”, said Patricia Wilson Aden, president and chief executive of the Philadelphia museum. “We remember so we can ponder the pain of slavery, segregation and second-class citizenry, but we also find the resiliency, the faith, the hope, the joy that is so much a part of the African-American community”. “And recognize the common humanity that makes America what it is”.
In President Obama’s remarks at the dedication ceremony, he said this museum shines a light on stories that are often overlooked in the history books.
“A great nation does not hide its history it faces its flaws”, Bush said Saturday.
“Giving to the national museum will make it more visible and accessible to family members located all around the United States”, said Burke, 73, a former administrator and teacher in Detroit’s public schools.
J Dilla was one of the first and most influential hip-hop artists in the USA, and his contribution to music will be honored through the inclusion of his mini moog, a beat-maker he created. The building is three-tiered and is inspired by a traditional wooden column that features a crown or corona – or African headdress – at the top.
“It’s going to be a testament to their work and a testament to so many of our ancestors that this museum will open on the mall”. Brownback also attended the opening. The museum presents history through objects both celebratory and sobering – showcasing everything from Michael Jackson’s fedora to a pair of shackles discovered aboard a sunken slave ship.
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Spanning 400,000 square feet, the building’s exhibitions now feature about 3,500 artifacts-ranging from a former slave’s two story house to Chuck Berry’s convertible-organized into three sections: “Slavery and Freedom”, “The Era of Segregation”, and “1968 and Beyond”.
