Title 20 — Education
Chapter 3 — Smithsonian Institution, National Museums and Art Galleries
§ 80r. Findings
Statutory text
Congress finds that—
since its founding, the United States has grown into a symbol of democracy and freedom around the world, and the legacy of African Americans is rooted in the very fabric of the democracy and freedom of the United States;
there exists no national museum within the Smithsonian Institution that—
is devoted to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture; and
encompasses, on a national level—
the period of slavery;
the era of Reconstruction;
the Harlem renaissance;
the civil rights movement; and
other periods associated with African American life, art, history, and culture; and
a National Museum of African American History and Culture would be dedicated to the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of African American historical and cultural material reflecting the breadth and depth of the experiences of individuals of African descent living in the United States.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
National Museum of African American History and Culture Act
Pub. L. 108–184 § 2 · 117 Stat. 2676
Enacted · 20 U.S.C. § 80r
(Pub. L. 108–184, § 2, Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2676.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 108–184, § 2, Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2676.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds that— (1) since its founding, the United States has grown into a symbol of democracy and freedom around the world, and the legacy of African Americans is rooted in the very fabric of the democracy and freedom of the United States; (2) there exists no national museum within the Smithsonian Institution that— (A) is devoted to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture; and (B) encompasses, on a national level— (i) the period of slavery; (ii) the era of Reconstruction; (iii) the Harlem renaissance; (iv) the civil rights movement; and (v) other periods associated with African American life, art, history, and culture; and (3) a National Museum of African American History and Culture would be dedicated to the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of African American historical and cultural material reflecting the breadth and depth of the experiences of individuals of African descent living in the United States.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title
Pub. L. 108–184, § 1, , 117 Stat. 2676, provided that: “This Act [enacting this subchapter] may be cited as the ‘National Museum of African American History and Culture Act’.”