Bookmark and Share
Click to go to the home page.
Click to send us your comments and suggestions.
Click to learn about the publishers of BlackCommentator.com and our mission.
Click to search for any word or phrase on our Website.
Click to sign up for an e-Mail notification only whenever we publish something new.
Click to remove your e-Mail address from our list immediately and permanently.
Click to read our pledge to never give or sell your e-Mail address to anyone.
Click to read our policy on re-prints and permissions.
Click for the demographics of the BlackCommentator.com audience and our rates.
Click to view the patrons list and learn now to become a patron and support BlackCommentator.com.
Click to see job postings or post a job.
Click for links to Websites we recommend.
Click to see every cartoon we have published.
Click to read any past issue.
Click to read any think piece we have published.
Click to read any guest commentary we have published.
Click to view any of the art forms we have published.
The current issue is always free to everyone

The Black Commentator - Economic Stimulus to Cultural Empowerment: The National Museum of African American History and Culture

In 2003, President Bush signed legislation to establish a National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The legislation is significant for a number of reasons: First and foremost, it will fill a historical, educational and cultural void that has existed in this nation for centuries. There currently is not a national institution that addresses itself to our history and culture. Second, it should allow the African American community the opportunity to have a voice and direct control over how our history is to be preserved and presented for dissemination to future generations. This latter point is especially important when one realizes the power of historical interpretation. It is of greater value to the self-esteem of our youth to have available an institution that presents African American History from our perspective as opposed to it being told from the perspective of others. The national museum is slated to be the last construction project designated for the National Mall. Incidentally, the site was not designated without some strong voices of opposition.

While the passage of the legislation was positive, the fallacy of its passage lies in the fact that no funding was legislated to move the project through to fruition. Currently, we (the African American community) have a $400 million dollars project sitting under the control of the Smithsonian Institute without a visible public plan to move it forward to completion. The Smithsonian Institute’s hesitancy to take this project public and to seek community support raises serious question to their level of commitment in pushing the museum project forward. The project has been approved for over five years, and it is unheard of in many parts of this nation. If the public is not made aware of the project and solicited for support, then how is the project to be funded?

Our Foundation is adamant about the fact that the National Museum of African American History and Culture should be built with minimal delay and maximum public participation. In February, we announced our intentions and plans to gather public financial support for the project. We contacted city/federal elected African American leaders and the historic Black Colleges around the country asking that they lead by example in supporting the museum project. Many of the individuals and educational institutions have complied by participating in our virtual “Buy A Brick Program.” To our understanding, checks have been forwarded to the Museum Headquarters in Washington, DC in response to our outreach. We have sought follow-up dialog with the Smithsonian Institute through the National Museum staff regarding the expansion of the outreach solicitation to include the broader segment of African American community. Our suggestions, recommendations and request to discuss the matter thus far have gone without a response. I think you would agree that the silence is most peculiar in light of the fact that they are in need of $400M dollars, and have no visible viable program in place to solicit public support in raising the funds.

In the following two months, the Government will put billions of dollars into circulation through the Economic Stimulus Program. The program offers our community the unique opportunity to rewrite the script on the museum project's future. It is an opportunity for us to build the museum strictly on the Government's dime. The funds to be distributed through the stimulus program is money that the public was not expecting a few months ago. Yes the Government is asking that we use the money to purchase consumer goods. However, we are asking that each member of our community who receives a check under the Stimulus Program donate twenty-five ($25) dollars of the money toward buying a virtual brick to support the construction of the national museum. Since the funds are not moneys that we had anticipated having, the small donation should not impose a hardship. In addition, the donation can be written-off as a tax deductible contribution. Let's Build Our National Museum.

You can help by sending your check or money order to:

The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Capital Gallery, (Ste 7001)
MRC -509 -Post Office Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012

The National Minority Military Museum Foundation Biographical Sketch

Founded in 1978, the National Minority Military Museum Foundation is a non-profit educational organization. The foundation was formed to achieve the following goals:

To raise public awareness of the contributions made by African Americans and other minority men and women in the defense of the nation.

To establish a national museum dedicated to telling the story of minorities who have served their country and to place the history within its proper place of importance in American History.

A partial listing of the organization’s past supporters includes:

  • the National Endowment for the Humanities
  • the San Francisco Foundation
  • Clorox Corporation
  • Kaiser Corporation
  • the State Street
  • Bank of Boston
  • Raytheon Corporation
  • the Freedom Foundation
  • Anti-Defamation League
  • and United Airlines

In addition, the organization’s goals and objectives have endorsed and advance by in-kind support from:

  • the Department of Defense
  • the Department of Interior
  • Golden Gate National Park Services
  • California State University at Hayward, California

The governments of France, Russia, India, Panama, Great Britain and South Africa recognize the organization’s work. The National Minority Military Museum Foundation is a member association in a national coalition of African American veterans’ organizations.

The Foundation has sponsored and co-sponsored many events over its twenty-three years history. Among those activities:

  • The February 1978, “Day of Recognition” honoring Retired Sergeant Samuel Waller. Sergeant Waller was the last African American survivor of the Spanish American War, in the States of California.
  • In May of 1978, the organization sponsored the “March for Recognition.” The march was conducted to raise public awareness of the organization’s plans to establish a permanent home of recognition for minority military history. The march began in Oakland, California and ended in Sacramento after covering a distance of five hundred miles through the State of California.
  • In February 1985, the organization sponsored the exhibit “Lest We Forget.”
  • In 1995, the Foundation joined with the African American Museum and Library in Oakland to co-sponsor an exhibit titled “Bittersweet Triumph.” The exhibit commemorated the contributions of African American service men and service women in World War II.
  • In 1996, on behalf of African Americans who served in the liberation of France, the organization received the 50th Commemorative Medal marking the liberation from the Government of France.
  • During that same year, the Foundation received the Commemorative Medal on behalf of the contributions of African American soldiers from the Government of Russia.
  • In 1996, the Foundation was invited to assist the Department of Defense in the production of the documentary titled, “African Americans In World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor.” The organization hosted the debut premieres of the film in New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco.

The Foundation has maintained a high level of public visibility in promoting our cause. Our activities have been supported and endorsed by minority veterans, organizations, community civic groups, public education institutions and political representatives in local, state and federal levels of government. The Foundation is the 1999 recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Award for exemplary service to African American veterans in the local and national community.

Mr. Blatcher’s work led him to pen a book, Of Thee I Sing, and produce a documentary, African Americans in World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor. Click here to reach Mr. Batcher.

Your comments are always welcome.

e-Mail re-print notice

If you send us an e-Mail message we may publish all or part of it, unless you tell us it is not for publication. You may also request that we withhold your name.

Thank you very much for your readership.

 

May 1, 2008
Issue 275

is published every Thursday

Executive Editor:
Bill Fletcher, Jr.
Publisher:
Peter Gamble
Est. April 5, 2002
Printer Friendly Version in resizeable plain text format format
Cedille Records Sale