♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ and the home of the brave? ♪

>> please join me in welcoming from the church in harlem, the baptist church in harlem, the reverend calvin butts iii. [ applause ] i'm tlieted to have been given this opportunity to say a word of inspiration concerning the national museum of african-american history and culture african-american.

what is africa to me? copper sun or scarlet sea? jungle star, jungle track, strong, bronze men or regal black. women from whose loins i strong when the birds of eden sang, one, three centuries removed from the land his father loved. spicy grove and cinnamon tree, what is africa to me? yet beloved, i too, sing america. i'm the darker brother. when company would come they would send me to the kitchen, but that's all right. i'd laugh, go to the kitchen. i'd eat and grow fat. tomorrow, i did the table. company would come, and they would see how beautiful i am and no one would ever send me to the kitchen again. yes, but leff ed, i too, too sing america. moi country 'tis of thee, this may be the land of the pilgrim's

pride, and it's also the land where my mothers and fathers died so let freedom ring. >> yes, let freedom ring. ring for the ashanti, ring for the crew arriving on a nightmare, yet praying for a dream. dream a world, beloved where no other man was scorned where love would spread, and dream a world beloved where all will walk sweet freedom's way and not snap our souls. dream a world where black or white, whatever race you be will enjoy the bounty of the earth and everyone be free, where it will hang its ugly head and join like a pearl adorn the earth. i have a dream today that everyone would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

everyone, the poor white, pushed apart. everyone, the negro-bearing slavery scar, everyone, the red man pushed from the land, everyone, the immigrant clutching the hope that she seek, but finding the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog and mighty crush the weak. oh, yes, i say it plain. america never was america for me, but yet i swear this oath, america will be. and america is becoming because so many brave women and men have fought to preserve the integrity of the land of the free and the home of the brave. oh beautiful, for heroes proved in liberating strive. 200,000 sons of ethiopia who gave their lives in order to hold the union together, he proved and liberating strive who more themselves their country loved and mercy more than light.

dory miller, the 369th harlem fighters and the tuskegee airmen who had mercy more than life. america, america, may god thine gold refined until all success, barack obama in the white house. until all success, martin luther king, jr. on the national mall. to all success, the national museum of african-american history ask culture, until all success be nobleness and every game divine. shalom, peace be unto you. god bless america.

>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome stanley thurston and the signature choir. >> music from the church has touched hearts and stirred songs for generations. it has soothed in times of trouble and inspired it to the noble things. today the heritage signature choral will perform a liturgical work "my soul is anchored in the lord".

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

>> stirring indeed. yes. creating the smithsonian national museum of african-american history and culture is a grand endeavor, and a grand endeavores in estates a courage to dream big. his efforts have brought us this moment and his guidance will take us to the day when the national museum of african-american history and culture opens its doors on this spot. please welcome the founding director of this museum lonnie

bunch. [ applause ] >> thank you. >> what a grand and glorious day and they said it was going to snow. president and mrs. obama, members of congress, the smithsonian regents, the presidential commission and the museum's council, distinguished guests and dear friends, i am honored and humbled to welcome you to this ground breaking ceremony for the newest museum of the smithsonian institution, the national museum of african-american history and culture. i just love to say that. [ applause ] >> your presence today is a clear reminder of the unflagging

support and leadership that you have provided this endeavor. we are at this moment. we have come this far not by faith alone, but because of your belief in the importance of this museum. while there are too many donors and supporters to name, i want you ton just how much the smithsonian appreciates the support of president and mrs. obama of the u.s. progress and of all of the corporations, foundations and individuals and communities across america who have given so much to make this moment possible. i especially want to acknowledge the council of the museum that is co-chaired by linda parsons rice. we are indebted to you because you believed when there wasn't much to believe in. we are so grateful for your leadership.

[ applause ] >> today, in the words of washington, d.c. poet, lewis alexander, we call the lost dream back. today we begin to manifest on this mall, on this sacred space, the dreams of many generations who fought for and believe that there should be a site in the nation's capital that will help all americans remember and honor african-american history and culture, but equally important to this vision was the need to make better all who, by using african-american culture as a lens to more clearly understand what it means to be an american. so with ground breaking, we mark a major milestone in the creation of this museum, a museum that as the belove ed historian franklin used to say to me, it must tell the

unvarnished truth because this will be a museum that will have moments to make one cry or to ponder the pain of slavery and segregation, but it will also be a signature green museum designed by the gifted architectural team of the smith group, but a museum that soars on the resiliency of a people and will illuminate the joy and the belief and the promise of america that has shaped this community. this building will remind us that there are few things as powerful as a people, as a nation steeped in its history and there is nothing nobler than honoring all of our ancestors by remembering the full, rich and diverse history of america. and as with any endeavor of this sort, it has not been without challenges and difficult moments, but whthose who work fm this project has been the work

that comes from unexpected quarters. such as the man who shines shoes in a texas airports who says to me what is unsure of what is in the museum, he hopes that this museum may be the only place that his grandchildren learned what life did to him or what he did to life. or the woman who cleans one of the smithsonian museums who reminded me who is tired and unable to retire, but she said to me, i want to continue to work so that i can clean our museum. [ applause ] >> so i would be remiss if i didn't thank the entire sitting sewnian family to mack a way out of nowhere. the secretary for richard curing and the regents, and i want to especially nod to my dear friend patty for all her support, and i

want -- thank you patty. [ applause ] >> and i especially want to acknowledge the gifted staff of the national museum of african-american history and culture. [ applause ] >> while i may stand in front of you, they do the work to make all things possible. during the great depression historians were hired by the federal government to interview formally enslaved african-americans. when 82-year-old cornelius holmes was asked if the experience of the enslaved still mattered, he answered though the slave question is settled the race question will be with us always, it is in our politics ask the courts and it is in our hallways and in our manors and it is in our religions and in our thoughts all of the day

every day. what a gift you have all given by helping to birth this museum so that everyone who visits will realize that we are all touched, shaped and enriched by african-american history and culture all of the day every day. >> thank you very much. [ applause ] >> please welcome the mayor of the district of columbia, vincent gray. [ applause ] >> good morning. >> not to worry, we have decreed there will be no more snow in the district of columbia ever. as mayor of the nation's capital, it is my honor to greet you on this auspicious occasion in our great city. you've gathered here today to break ground on a site that

would provide the foundation. today's ground breaking is a milestone that fulfilled the dreams and aspirations of many generations and honors all of those on whose shoulders we stand at this point. this will be a museum for all americans and it will celebrate every american story, not just black history. the fact that the museum will be completed in 2015 is indeed significant because we will also celebrate the anniversaries of two significant events in our nation's history. 2015 will mark both the 150th anniversary of the constitutional abolition of slavery and the voting rights act of 1965. [ applause ] >> the 13th amendment

fundamentally changed our constitution and changed the constitution and our nation and the voting rights act allowed america to fulfill its promise. one of the great african-american leaders who helped guide our nation to live up to its own creed now has a monument dedicated to him not far from here. just last month, we celebrated dr. martin luther king, jr.'s birth and a few months ago we dedicated his memorial. another national monument that was a long time coming. his dream was that we could all come together to make our nation and our world a better place. his message was not for one racial group, but for all people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and creeds. this museum will be a tangible manifestation of dr. king's dream. of a mayor of a city itself that is central to the story of

freedom for all americans, i eagerly anticipate the completion of the national museum of african-american history and culture. and i'm proud that the district of columbia will be its home. thank you very much. and i look forward as all of you do to 2015 when we will reconvene here for the official opening of our new museum. thank you very much. >> we all know that the smithsonian institution is a place of learning. it's a place where history, art and culture come alive in a vibrant way. and helping to make sure that this happens is dr. richard curran. for many years he was the force behind the annual folk life festival which draws more than a million people to the national

mall for two glorious months, two glorious weeks rather in the month of june and now as undersecretary for the smithsonian he helps guide the work of the history and culture museums including the one for which we are breaking ground today. it gives me great pleasure to present the smithsonian's undersecretary for history, art and culture, dr. richard curran. >> good morning. all that undersecretary stuff, i am lonnie bunch's down field block. only once in a generation has citizens and leadership of this country gathered to sink a shovel into the ground of this national mall to establish a museum, a library, an archive or

gallery. but let us for a moment reflect on the history that leads us here today. exactly 150 years ago in february 1862, with the civil war raging the smithsonian hosted a series of abolitionist lectures. president abraham lincoln leading officials and large audiences attended. newspaper coverage assured that the nation knew about these lectures. their aim was to convince the president to end slavery. week after week at the smithsonian, horace greely, wendell holmes, ralph waldo anderson and others spoke and the great american or ater was scheduled to give the culminating lecture. but such were the time in america that joseph henry, the secretary of the smithsonian and science adviser to the president

said i will not allow a black man to speak in the rooms of the smithsonian. frederick douglas was denied his place in the national museum. the irony was that secretary henry's most reliable staff member was a man named solomon brown, an african-american poet, self-educated science. he built the exhibits at the smithsonian and he served here for 50 years. he guarded the treasures, carrying out the research. developing programs and helping to lead the institution. the historical record is checkered. notably in 1891, the smithsonian's national zoo opened its grounds to african-americans on easter monday, given that the community was not allowed to participate in the celebrations on the white house lawn.

well into the 20th century, curators purposefully excluded african-american history. in 1947, the descendants of christian fleetwood tried to integrate the smithsonian's collections by donating the medal of honor this black soldier had won. they were rebuffed until it was intervened. and with the poor people's march, many advised closing the smithsonian museums to keep the people out. secretary ripply did the opposite. keeping them open extra hours in order to let everyone in. now, we have come a long, long way since joseph henry uttered those words. and we can't change what he said but we can correct it. with this building, we can today proudly say frederick dougwill n

the rooms of the smithsonian. so too will those voices of millions of others. simply this museum makes for a more inclusive smithsonian. a more inclusive america and it's good for this country and it's good for the world. the cochairs of the museum's advisory council, linda johnson rice and richard parsons have played key leadership roles in ensuring that we hear the many compelling voices of our nation's history. linda's the chair of johnson publishing company, and dick is the chair of citigroup. please give a warm welcome to linda johnson rice and dick parsons.

[ applause ] >> on behalf of the advisory council of this, the smithsonian's 19th museum, the national museum of african-american history and culture, we want to extend our sincere appreciation for your sharing this incredible moment with us. we would especially like to thank all of our founding donors and it's an honor to celebrate this important museum with president and mrs. obama. a distinct, unique, great honor. fabulous honor. but while you're all dignitaries i would like to make mention of the fact that oliver holmes

norton, congressman clyburn are here as well as many of the great supporters and other distinguished guests. all of you have helped achieve this significant mile stone. thank you for taking this journey with us. one of the things i like to do because nobody gets anything done by themselves or even with an able and beautiful partner, we have a council who has been with us on this journey and with lonnie, all supporting and advising. i'd like the members of the advisory council to stand and receive your applause and appreciation. and if i can be allowed just one moment of personal reflection before i turn it over to linda,

the personal significance to me. i've read it many times that history is written by the winners. history is written by the winners. and to me,b the reality of this museum puts an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence that after 400 years of struggle, of triumph, of tragedy, of turmoil, of turbulence, we won. >> well said, well said. as members of this council, we have had the pleasure of witnessing a vision take shape. one that as lonnie bunch has indicated will encourage us to remember, reflect and rejoice. one that will help us better understand the hope, the optimism, the struggles, the determination and triumphs of the american story. today, we will break ground for a muse t