Bush signs bill authorizing African-American museum

[CShine]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush, in a brief private ceremony in the Oval Office, on Tuesday signed legislation allowing the creation of a National Museum of African-American History and Culture as part of the Smithsonian Institution. The signing caps a turbulent, nearly century-long quest for such a museum and represents a significant victory for the legislators, business people, artists, civic leaders and veterans who have championed the project.

Despite a lack of fanfare and no public statement from Bush, the atmosphere surrounding the event, backers of the museum said afterward, was heavy with emotion and significance.

"A number of our founders believed that slavery was the original sin of America," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., a bill sponsor. "Today we repent of that sin. We repent of segregation, of treating one group of people as not equal with others, and we ask for forgiveness and the blessing of reconciliation that will come forth from this."

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., who has sponsored legislation for the museum every year since 1988, emerged jubilant from the ceremony. "This has been a long, hard effort, but we're here today," he said. "The whole story, the complete story must be told. Today in America we've moved closer, much closer, to a truly interracial democracy, closer to what Martin Luther King Jr. called the beloved community."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2301267

[Greyhawk]

1. Pandering....

'nuff said. What person of color is going to really think this shows the Pree-cedent cares about them?

[Ernesto]

3. Gee, is this an election year?

Hey chimp, why don't you locate the museum @ Bob Jones University? Remember your campaign visit there when McCain was on your ass?......By the way, nice to hear from ya, Greyhawk!

[corporatewhore]

2. Maybe it will include a secton for those sent to the chair

ans arrested not for the content of their character but for the color of their skin

[peekaloo]

4. Why not a commemorative wall featuring the Florida scrubbed voters.