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VOL 3. NO. 34 Monday, September 10 - Sunday, September 16, 2001
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National African-American History Museum Gets Key Support in Washington, D.C.

Frederick Douglass IV, Courtesy Photo

The creation of a national African-American history museum on the National Mall received a major boost recently, as key supporters announced the name of the organization that intends to be its principal promoter and fundraiser. The organization, Friends of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC), said it plans to work with officials of the Smithsonian Institution.

At a press conference next to the Smithsonian's Castle, Frederick Douglass, IV, president of the Friends of NMAAHC, said, "This effort is about preserving, displaying and teaching African-American history, so that it doesn't fade into obscurity." Douglass is the great-great grandson of the renowned 19th century abolitionist, orator, editor, statesman, author, suffragist, publisher and confidante to President Lincoln.

The Smithsonian's Board of Regents recently voted unanimously to approve the establishment of the African-American museum. Congress is expected to vote on legislation creating the new museum in this session.

Once the museum is finished, Douglass added, it will house a permanent exhibit of artifacts and records that span more than 400 years of African-American history.

Douglass is leading a broad and growing coalition that already has secured bipartisan Congressional support from 220 lawmakers and more than a majority of the House of Representatives. Congressional sponsors include: U.S. Representatives John Lewis (D-Ga.) and J.C. Watts, Jr. (R-Okla.), and Senators Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Max Cleland (D-Ga.)

The museum's major corporate backers include: Robert L. Johnson, CEO of BET Holdings, Inc., Earl Graves Ltd. and Black Enterprise Magazine, Clinton W.Chapman, Esq., international financial services giant Citigroup, Alliant Energy, an international energy firm and Capitol Automotive, a national automotive retail property firm.

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