the party of lincoln. >> david blight, from the yale university study of slavery, resistance and abolition of one of the five historians participating in the "person of the year 1862" at the library of virginia. good luck, with the results this afternoon, and thanks for taking the time to speak with our viewers. >> thank you very much. >> just to let you know, our special here on "american history tv," we expect them back with the third historian, james mcpherson at 12:40 p.m. live. we'll take your posts and tweets as well. up until then, we're going to take you to a portion of wednesday's ground breaking of the smithsonian museum. it will become the 19th smithsonian museum and expected

to open in 2016. this is a portion of monday's event. [ horns ] [ applause ]

ladies and gentlemen, please welcome phylicia rashad. [ applause ] >> morning. it is indeed an honor and a privilege to welcome all of you here today for this groundbreaking ceremony of the smithsonian national museum of african-american history and culture. this is a milestone. this is a milestone movement, not only for the smithsonian, but for the united states. today, we took the first step in creating an iconic building that will house something too amazing

and wonderful. a museum with the power to change heart and mind and ultimately the nation. and your being here today speaks to your support of this one spectacular effort. creating this museum has captured the attention of government, private citizens and is drawn in the commitment of corporate america, community groups and school groups. and today, we salute this undertaking with extraordinary music and inspiring speakers, all in celebration of this moment and the american spirit. [ applause ] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the

president of the united states and mrs. michelle obama. [ playing "hail to the chief" ] [ applause ] [ applause ]

>> please remain standing -- please remain standing for the presentation of the colors by the smithsonian institution's office of protection services honor guard and the national anthem performed by miss denise grant.

♪ ♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪

♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪

♪ and the home of the brave? ♪ [ applause ]

>> please join me in welcoming from the everson church in harlem, the everson baptist chump in harlem, the reverend, calvin butz iii. [ applause ] >> i'm delighted to have been given this opportunity to say a word of inspiration concerning the national museum of

african-american history and culture. african-american, what is africa to me, copper son or scarlet seed, jungle track, strong, bronze men. women from whose loins i sprang when the birds of eden sang. one or three centuries removed from the land your father loved. spicy groves and cinnamon trees. what is africa to me? i too sing america. i'm the darker brother. when company would come they would send me to the kitchen. but that's all right. i'd fast go to the kitchen, i'd eat and grow fast. tomorrow, i'd be at the table. company would come, and they i . and no one could ever send me to again. yes, remember, i too sing america my country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee i

sing. this may be the land of thems' the land where my mothers and fathers died so let freedom ring. ring -- [ applause ] -- yes, let freedom ring. ring for the ring for the pro arriving on a nightmare. dream where man no other man will scorn. will love will bless the earth and peace has passed the dawn. dream where all were walk in freedom's way. and dream of a world where black or white whatever race y the bo earth and everyone be free. their wretchedness will hang its ugly head. i have a dream today that everyone would not be judged by

the color of their skin but by the content of their character. everyone, the poor white fool, everyone, the negro, everyone, the red man pushed from the land. everyone, the immigrant clutching the hope that she seeks, the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog. oh, yes, i say america never was america for me but yet i swear this, america will be. and america is becoming because so many brave women and men have fought and preserved the integrity of the land of the free and the home of the brave. all beautiful but heroes, in strife. 200,000 sons of ethiopia who gave their lives in order to

hold the country together. and more than self their country loves. remember the 369th harlem fighters and of course, the tuskegee airmen. america. america, america may godthy souls remind. to all success, barack obama in the white house. to all success, marching martin luther king jr. on the national maul. all success noble. shalom. god bless america! [ applause ] >> please welcome the founding director.

>> what a grand and glorious day, and they said it was going to snow. [ laughter ] president and mrs. obama, members of congress, smithsonian region, the museum, distinguished guests and dear friends. i am honored and humbled to welcome to you this groundbreaking ceremony to the newest smithsonian institution. the national museum of african-american history and culture. i just love to say that. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> your presence today is a clear reminder of the unflagging support and leadership that you have provided this endeavor. we are active. we have come this far not by faith alone, but because of your belief in the importance of this

museum. while there are too many donors and supporters to name, i want you to know just how much the smithsonian appreciates the support of president and mrs. obama, of the u.s. congress, and of all the corporations, foundations and individuals in communities across america who have given so much to make this moment possible. i especially want to acknowledge the council of the museum that is co-haired by johnson-rice and dick parson. we are so indebted because you believed when there wasn't much to believe. we are so grateful for their today, in the words of washington, d.c. poet lewis alexander, we call the lost dream back. today, we begin to make manifests on this mall, on this

sacred space. the dreams of manywhfought for e should be a fight in the nation's capital that will help all americans remember and honor african-american history and culture. equally important in this vision was the need to make better all who visit the national museum by using african-american culture as a lens to more clearly understand what it means to be an american. so with groundbreaking, we mark a major milestone in the creation of this museum. a museum that as a beloved historian john l. franklin used to always say to me, it must tell the untarnished truth. because this will be a museum that will have moments to make one cry or ponder slavery and degradation. but it will also be a signature

museum, designed by andre bond but a museum that soars on the people. and it will illuminate the joy and belief of the promise of america that will shape this community. this build will go remind us that there are few things as powerful as a people as a nation steeped in history. and there's nothing nobler than honoring all of our ancestors by honoring the rich and diverse history of america. and with any endeavor of this sort, it has not been without challenge in difficult moments but what was all who work on this project has been the support that comes from expected quarters. such as a man who shines shoes in a texas airport who said to me, while he's not sure exactly what would be in the museum.

he hoped that the museum would be the only place that this grandchildren learned what life did to him and what he did to live. or the woman who cleans one of the smithsonian museums who reminded me the other day that she is tired and able to retire. but she said to me, i want to continue to work so that i can clean our museum. [ applause ] so i would be remiss if i didn't thank the entire smithsonian family for helping this museum make a way. the leadership of the secretary and the region i want a nod to my dear friend patty for all the support. [ applause ] thank you. and i especially want to acknowledge the gifted bearer of the national museum of

african-american history and culture. while i may stand in front of you, they do the work to make all things possible. during the great depression, historians were hired by the federal government to interview formally enslaved african-americans. when 82-year-old cornelius holmes was asked if the experience of the slave still mattered. he answers though the slave question is done, the race question will be with us always. it it in our highwayses, it is in our religion and in our thoughts. all the day, every day. what a gift you have given by helping to birth this museum so that everyone who visits will realize that we are all touched, shaped and enriched by

african-american history and culture. all the day. every day. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> he sponsored the legislation in the house of representatives to staff this museum. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable john lewis. [ applause ] >> good morning. thank you, linda, for those kind words of introduction.

mr. president, mrs. obama, mrs. bush, my colleagues from the congress, my beloved friends. what we've witnessed today will go down in history. it is of substance of things so far and a validation of our treatme dreams. it is a moment of people protested and struggled and longed for. it is the moment for our ancestors to believe in. but for the eye never to behold, it is that point when an idea becomes so powerful that it leaves the realm of inspiration and becomes visible, even to the untrained eye. this is an idea whose time has come. when i think about all it took to reach this point, the black civil war veterans who took up the cause many decades ago, the

first debate and the long years of silence, advocates and opponents. when i think of that championed and the election this from become become who spent half of a career introducing the museum bill and a bipartisan effort, inspired by men and women of faith, it reminds me of the words of one of my favorite poets. langston hugh. it seems fitting and appropriate here. the name of the forum follows. what happens to a dream deferred? does it dry up like a raisin or fester like a sore? and then rise?

maybe it just sags like a heavy load. today, we must thank the white house and the united states congress. my former colleagues governor sam brownback, senator mike cleeland, j.c. watz. the secretary of the smithsonian. the director of the national museum of african-american history and culture lonny bunch and his staff. with the council of liberty and solace with individual donors, and helped to find its place in history. this is a beginning. there's still much work to do and worthy goals.

that have come down through the ages. we must call upon the courage of those who will end the struggle, long before any of us were born. were must tell the story, the whole story, 400-year story of the african-american institution and t awnger or apology. the problem we face today as a nation, make it plain, make it clear, that we feel a great deal of pain that needs to be spiritual, and it speaks the truth that has the power to set an entire nation free all the liberty, justice to us

all. i'll look forward, lonny bunch, i'll look forward to the days i sit down and look through the archives, participate in a program in the cafe and get lost in history inside the granite walls of an idea whose time has finally come. we didn't give up. we didn't give in. we didn't give out. we didn't get lost in a sea of despair. we kept the faith. we kept our eyes on the prize. thank you. [ applause ] >> so please welcome a valued friend of the smithsonian and

one of the museum's dedicated councilmembers, mrs. laura bush. >> thank you. thank you all. [ applause ] >> thank you, everybody. thank you very much. thanks so much. thank you. thank you very much. wayne, for that introduction, and good morning to everyone. good morning president and mrs. obama, director lonny bunch, and all of our distinguished guests and all who have joined us for this very important occasion. it's essentially fitting that we dedicated this part of land on our national mall for a museum that remembers, reveres and celebrates the great struggles and even greater contributions that african-americans have made to our nation's history. just down the road from here,

both the white house and the capitol were built in part by the labor of african-american slaves. we don't know most of their names, but they left a lasting legacy in the bricks and stones and beautiful craftsmanship that now housed our democracy's most final institution. here, too, is in this city where a young congressman, abraham lincoln was horrified by the site of slaves standing near the ground of the capitol. and where later, president lincoln would sign the transforming emancipation proclamation. here in this city is where the great abolitionist frederick douglass came to offer council to president lincoln and was welcomed by the president lincoln. here on this very small is where

the reverend martin luther king jr. stood and shared his dream to the nation where we're all measured by the content of our character. and where we join together at one table, the table of brotherhood. and here in this city is also where president lyndon johnson brought forth and signed the landmark civil rights act of 1964. today, african-americans help lead our nation in all facets of life, from government to the military, to the law, from business to the arts. to medicine and education. this museum will share these stories and will pay tribute to the many lives known and unknown that has so inmeasurably enriched our nation. the national museum of african-american history and