By Milton Bruce

I HAD the pleasure of making a visit to the Heritage Museum of Africa-American Culture, in Washington D.C. I had studied African American History and recognised some of the exhibits, but I was still in awe of the magnitude of it all. It was a very revealing experience.
The museum was inaugurated on the 24th September 2016 by the President of the United States of America Mr. Barack H. Obama. Maybe it was fatalistic and historical that an African American would be President for this momentous occasion. In his speech the President reminded the audience that it was here that “the pillars of democracy were built, often by black hands.”

This idea for an African Heritage Museum created a long background of struggle that needed to be exposed. To neglect the history of the museum is to neglect the history of the people. The twists and turns this original idea took, once again proved the institutionalised double standards that always hamper African American progress.
In Chapter two, `Drawing up the Plans’ quoting from the Smithsonian Book: Mable O Wilson. In 1986, Mickey Leyland a Democratic representative from Texas, sponsored and successfully passed a joint resolution through congress that supported raising an endowment for a permanent location on Federal land for a building “ dedicated to understanding knowledge, opportunity, and equality for all people.”
In 1983, speaking with the Washington Post about his proposal to build a national African American Heritage Museum in Washington D.C then envisioned as an African American Slavery Memorial, intended to remember the lives of enslaved African, Leyland said; “it will happen, though it is likely to take time.”

After Leyland’s tragic death in 1989, Congressman John Lewis from Georgia, took up the reins. With the political wrangling at full stream, time and time again, John Lewis’ attempt to move the legislation forward was stymied. In 1993, the bill finally moving quite rapidly on the Senate floor was jettisoned once again by Senator Jesse Helms, a Republican from North Carolina.

Through the persistence and the indefatigable work of John Lewis on December 16, 2003, 17 years later he witnessed President George W. Bush sign H.R 3491 which established the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Describing it as a very mild winter morning, nine years later on February 22nd 2012, the President of the U.S.A in the company of others; turned the sod on the ground breaking ceremony.
At that same ceremony Congressman John Lewis who finally got a sponsor to assist in moving the bill to completion said; “What we witnessed today will go down in history… It is substance of things hoped for and the validation of our dreams.”

This place that plays host to the many artifacts, scrolls, pictures, paintings, visual arts, etc., etc. is simply awesome. Put another way it’s phenomenal, or just a magnificent structure. Since those adjectives don’t make it I will settle for an edifice. The structure is that huge to classify as an edifice.
That’s what it is, a large and imposing building. To gaze upon it from about 50 or more yards you are impressed by two things, its ship or boat like appearance, looking as though it’s shimmering in the sun, surrounded by clouds high up on a mountain with the bow pointed skywards.

The outer walls are coated with intricate wrought and cast iron screens…the type that were on the porches, balconies and gates in Charleston and New Orleans, and were created then by the enslaved and the free African craftsmen.
These screens called the Corona show the difference in the colour distribution that affects each individual wall. The Smithsonian says: “Viewing the building in the late afternoon, by contrast reveals, deep bronze colour on one side that mellows to a pinkish glow at the other end.

“The Smithsonian institution wanted to construct a building so compelling that it would attract visitors from across the globe. It had to be inventive, with space for individual reflection and state of the art galleries.”
Lead designer, David Adiaye, challenged himself to create a “spectacular and amazing building.” In his words “a structure that would make people’s jaws drop, because it’s a new kind of building and a new kind of museum.” The end product has lived up to his challenge. It is an awe- inspiring building. “The shimmering bronze façade represents the difficult journey the country has taken to fulfil its ideals of liberty for all Americans.”
The well-lit cavernous foyer houses the museum’s book store, along with the plaques and acceptances by the donors who made it possible. Then, the welcome desk where becoming a member of the Museum is your email address. Overhead is a sign that says; “BEGIN WITH THE PAST.” The arrow on the sign pointed downwards.

As I descended to the concourse level or the basement, what caught my attention was the difference in the lighting, instead of being just bright now it was more of a grey shade and less penetrating. This level called the History Galleries; is divided into three sections. “Slavery and Freedom.”, “Defending Freedom,” and “Defining Freedom.” In this slavery section the exhibits displayed are set up to draw some emotion out of you, anger, bitterness, hatred, sadness, repulsion: anyone could be your pick.