October 1, 2015

84 Ethnic Groups, 103 Scholars Ask President To Study American People Museum

WASHINGTON, DC - A wide range of 187 ethnic and minority leaders and scholars asked the President today to create a bipartisan Presidential Commission to study establishment of the National Museum of the American People.

The museum will tell the dramatic story of every group of people from throughout the world who came here and became Americans.

The letter, signed by 84 ethnic leaders and 103 scholars, says, "The National Museum of the American People will showcase how, when, why and from where we arrived in this land, our movements across the plains and mountains of the country, what each group encountered and how each helped to transform our nation."

The letter, keyed to the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Immigration Act, says the museum celebrates every group that helped make this country the world's economic, military, scientific and cultural leader.

Right now there is no museum in our nation’s capital telling the full story, from the first humans here, Native Americans, to every group’s story after them through today, said Sam Eskenazi, Director of the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People. "It is well past time for telling about our incredible and dramatic story about 'We the People'."

Former Rep. Jim Moran, D-VA, said that he expects the museum to be the best storytelling museum in the nation. "Everyone will want to see how their own story is depicted and they will learn about all of the others."

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NOTES FOR MEDIA:

Available for interviews to discuss the museum:

Former Rep. Jim Moran - Contact: Gayle Reuter, greuter@mwe.com, 202-756-8746

Alan Kraut, Professor of History, American University - Contact: akraut@american.edu, 202-885-2410

Sam Eskenazi, Director, CNMAP - Contact: sam@nmap2015.com, 202-744-1868

For more information about this project, go to www.nmap2015.com.

To print out or download a PDF of the letter to President Obama please click here.