Today in the Nation’s Capital, The National Museum of African American History and Culture comes alive to celebrate the completion of the outside of the museum as well as to celebrate the countdown to the Grand Opening of the museum in fall 2016! Celebrations will take today, through this Wednesday.
Once open, the museum will celebrate historic moments where the African American experience has had an impact on expanding the rights and freedoms of all Americans. What I am looking forward to seeing is how the African Diaspora and African Immigrant Populations, including Afro-Caribbeans and Afro-Latinos like myself are also represented. I see on the museum's website that is a part of their efforts and they are seeking the thoughts and opinions of volunteers on this topic. Definitely have your voice be heard.
In the meantime, the façade of the building will illuminate today with moving images to create an enormous display as the museum “Commemorates and Celebrates Freedom”. There will be live music before the display, as well as poetry readings and brief remarks by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congressional Delegate to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Museum Director Lonnie Bunch III. The video display, which is seven minutes long, will run continuously for the next three nights from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
This project started February 2012 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and is being built adjacent to the Washington Monument. While construction moves forward, the museum is hosting public programs, organizing traveling exhibitions and producing books and recordings. I am personally excited to make a visit next fall!