Our nation’s airwaves, newsstands, twitter feeds and conversations are saturated these days about how our nation is split. It seems like a dream come true for every enemy and adversary of the United States.
No matter which side they are on, everyone wishes the rift would close. So how do we go about it? The National Museum of the American People can help provide the answer.
The NMAP is about the making of the American People — all of us. It will tell every group’s story from the first humans in the Western Hemisphere to today. The proposed museum will provide and foster a sense of belonging by all Americans and instill a renewed sense of identity as an American. At its core, the museum will be built atop our original national motto, E Pluribus Unum — From Many, One!
The museum has had bipartisan support in Congress and there are now more than 246 organizations representing 70 American ethnic, nationality and minority groups supporting this effort. Together, they represent virtually every American whose group’s story will be told in the museum.
In summary, here are 28 reasons why our nation needs the National Museum of the American People:
- It will be America’s only national institution devoted exclusively to telling the full story about the making of the American People;
- Our nation was uniquely created and built by peoples from every land; they made us the world’s economic, military, scientific and cultural leader;
- It will celebrate all of the peoples who came to this land and nation, from the very first to the most recent;
- It will tell the compelling stories about every group’s migration and immigration to these shores and the story of their subsequent migrations within the country;
- It will foster a sense of belonging to the nation by telling about the mosaic of people that have come here;
- It will contribute to our national identity and unity;
- The full story about the making of the American People is not well known or understood by the American People or by foreigners;
- People from every American ethnic, nationality, minority and genealogical group will flock to the Museum to see how their own group’s story is told and to learn the stories of every other group;
- It has the support of more than 246 diverse organizations representing virtually every major American ethnic and minority group;
- Foreign visitors will come to learn about natives of their countries who became Americans;
- It will be a top destination for school groups visiting Washington;
- It will foster learning nationwide through its education and curriculum programs;
- It can become a national pilgrimage destination and be among the most visited museums in the world;
- Eminent scholars will provide the intellectual bedrock upon which it will be built;
- It has the support of more than 144 scholars of immigration and migration history;
- It will incorporate a Center for the Advanced Study of the American People to foster knowledge about who we are;
- It will be a resource for state, local and ethnic museums throughout the nation;
- It has had bipartisan support;
- Canada and Mexico have major national museums in their capitals telling the story of their peoples and they’re among the most visited museums in those nations;
- As the central story of our nation, it belongs near the National Mall in Washington;
- It can incorporate these components: a film center, genealogical center, nationwide peopling of America sites, bookstore, public programs, collections and special and traveling exhibits;
- It will provide a range of knowledge, learning, stimulation and entertainment for visitors;
- No federal tax money is planned to design, build or operate it;
- It will show how our central documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, helped shape the American character;
- Our Constitution begins “We the People of the United States…” This museum will tell who “We the People” are;
- It will embody our original national motto: E Pluribus Unum — From Many, One!;
- It will be the best story-telling museum in our nation;
- It is the most important American museum that doesn’t exist … YET!
This blog is about the proposed National Museum of the American People which is about the making of the American People. The blog will be reporting regularly on a host of NMAP topics, American ethnic group histories, related museums, scholarship centered on the museum’s focus, relevant census and other demographic data, and pertinent political issues. The museum is a work in progress and we welcome thoughtful suggestions.
— Sam Eskenazi, Director, Coalition for the National Museum of the American People