Transcripts For CSPAN3 International 20240703

For. Keeping. Good morning and welcome to the grand opening dedication ceremony. Celebration of the internet africanamerican museum in. Charleston, South Carolina. I am so honored be with you this morning. And as i look out into jacksons walk into harbor where over ten 100,000 africans first touched the soil of the United States. America right here where are seated. Its a lot lot. Yes. This location, one of the most prolific slaving warehouses in operation ins in history. But now, today, we reclaimed land and honor. The countless lives lost and enslaved with a monument to our history, our families, our heritage our contributions and our future the waters. The shores here are the same waters that connect us back to africa, the same waters which carried our ancestors and dreams, the hopes and dreams preserved inside the museum above us. And just as the water holds memory and brings alive tide pools behind you ebb and flow across the shadows. Those who did not make it beyond this site, but who will never be forgotten. The tears of our ancestors is carried by the waves still wash upon these shores, but today may they find comfort in our reverence and compassion and in the knowledge that their stories are heard. The memories contained in these stones. These these grasses are the soil are now forever set free to be recognized and honored. The internation African American museum may have taken over 20 years to design and build. But lets face it, it was centuries in the making. Thousands of u. S. We know that our africanamerican heritage certainly predates american slavery and oppression, the honest history and truth will now be shared openly, freely. And yes, we have come a long way as a society we have and as a country, but we still have a ways to go and a lot of growing to do as a as a nation and as Global Community. South carolina is very, to me, it is the birthplace of my mother, her siblings her parents, her grandparents. They were all born and educated here in South Carolina. And im proud to be part of a lineage of people who have offered service through our here service as Community Service as educators, service as medical professionals, service legislators, South Carolina is home. And i love being in South Carolina. Its humbling to stand where countless dreams never it past this point and. Its our responsibility not just to carry those dreams for a better future, but to take action and make tomorrow, better than today. Welcome to the Opening Celebration dedication of the international African American museum, where today is better than yesterday. And now to sing the national anthem, please welcome four time grammy, me and ten time dove winner, r b gospel vocalist, composer and producer bebe. And singing lift every and sing r b and gospel vocalist Candice Glover winner of the 12th season of american and a native of buford, South Carolina staff staff. Thank you you. And. Oh say hi to u. S. By the doors and shirley im so high holy had had to twilight rise to whose broad stripes and bright. Through the pair of rolaids. Hi or the red ramparts we wanted were so kind at least. And i had kids red clay and their moms in they gave food through the night time that i fly across still that. Oh say does that star. Banner yet hooray. They even or no let and dont crack hand oh oh her her birthday they. Lifted weve said dancing to love and never we bring with the humble honey other play bertie let courage youre chasing rise high as the listening skies let it reside down loud as the roar see we sing sing i saw full of the faith that the dog passed as time does sing begun song for the whole that the president has brought. I us facing the. Sun of a new day may be begun. Let us march young to victory we is one time god of all. Is god of the sun live in tears. The who has brought us for on the. Day those who have brought us by mind . Let no slaves who the lie they keep us for ever in the pen of we pray. Sing another song who love the faith at the dark past as taught us sing the song for love the that the and has brought. Facing the right rising sun a new day be gun. Let us my shine till victory. Is a white. Let us march our till victory we is why why. Please welcome founder of, the Advocacy Organization for the continuation of gullah geechee culture, the galaxy Island Coalition and the first queen mother and official Spokes Person for the dollar geechee nation queen quest. Oh oh three yo whoa oh. 0003. Home. Whoa oh. 003000 bow, we we hunt before we b1 us slaves we acquire be bearing we grapes and wine oh two we go and beef. Three this day. And our children have been awesome come in. Oh, ancestors been no. Shouts you know within us and thats not how you feel when come out to l. A. Never know what the the evil magic i think you all jeezy mendy damnit he freak he bvr had no say this you did an accordion and leave a day up i got some loft you know he sat me on the six not me even a i know i make a good so this you preschool confidentially i stamp on this yes we said well we asked us to the middle that anything like that it and get your yes it was we said i said. Gee that was still day and not say we had a video we aint got nowhere to dog who needs got to get she invited people this yesterday we passed and we sat. All for the chill and out you what i we who i know what do you want let us see cause they are standing up and yeah about no separate but yeah but the people who and the great always rise up if i be free this there for them chill we pull and well its that. If violence you that i still about to learn what are we to yeah no yeah we didnt like i let him we give thanks for him. What what a deal. When we first started shopping back in 2000, you know what we been i mean so we built a for store doesnt think why i do what did up inside yes spirit what did it in esquire. Com we have it time to try to beat we down and see this giant being or media yesterday and we dare we dont quite retreat i see we sat there for answers this was still in the ouch on anyone unless. You harbor a whole business start to show off me. Our spirit rest is dead cut the chilling yeah he didnt know that the. Hey, you know, i was. I know who i am. Im. You know who . Yes see, i am. I am, i am, i am. I, i am, i. And this shot, did we all say i say and let it shot see . Yeah, man. Oh, free. No. Oh, oh. Freed oh, oh. Three oh, oh. Bobby. Id be oh, id be on. I say i to be buried in my grave and wine for some i go, oh god honeybee free press god hallelujah. I am, i am. Please welcome Senior Pastor of Saint Mark Methodist Church and taylors, South Carolina, former president of the National Black clergy of the United Methodist. Reverend telly. My name is reverend tele. Lynnette gadson. My brand is t and my social media handle hashtag right pastor t and im actually the district superintendent and chief missional strategist of the heartwarming hartsville district at the South Carolina annual conference of United Methodist church. Bishop l. Jonathan holston is our episcopal leader for. The past two years i have been blessed to be servant leader for 101 churches served by 71 pastors covering six counties from the midlands to the peddie. But dont let the taste fool you. I am a gullah geechee girl for from hollywood south. And it is an honor to be here today. I am a child of god, a daughter of the divine and my chosen savior is jesus christ. Freedom o, freedom, freedom over me. And before ill be a slave, ill be buried yonder grave and go home to my lord and be free freedom the epitome, the faith of our mothers and fathers living still and even those beckoned to the balconies of heaven that great of freedom fighters, us who endowed us with dew of their morning after weeping through the nights of terror and torment, yet freedom now sometimes faint freedom faith is loud and clear freedom to freedom to serve freedom to love, freedom to live when others say die because this freedom from us sky beyond the chaos and clutter of classism, racism, sex ism, and even whose sleeping with who ism there freedom this space, this place, this long awaited vision now manifested right before our retinas, no cataracts today retinas we might retain the sights and sounds of freedom, this haven of humanity is the sanctuary of solace, this retreat of righteousness this edifice of education in this traverse for transformation, this foundation for freedom, the international or africanamerican museum is alive. It is well, is marvelous in our eyes. I so blessed that my two precious parents are featured in the museum, the honorable herbert getz and first black mayor of hollywood, South Carolina missionary linda dingo. Gaps in the first black woman to graduate from the college of charleston hallelujah. Can any good come out of hollywood i am evidence. This is freedom space. It is freedoms fierceness. It is freedoms formidable fabulousness, but not without the struggle of freedoms fight. The plight of slaverys nights, daughters of destiny and sons of strength, children yet born brought to these east coast shores, waterways as a way from the ivory coast, fortified by powers be who never really. People in high places doing Little Things fortified by bona fide highway robbers, trafficking, segregation, harboring jim jane crow and their children gods children. Giving George Wallace and his cousins lift rides queen daughters and kings exiled by the espionage of greed. But to perpetrate orders didnt realize that it was a seed planted the depths of the soil, the soil of toil, freedoms womb, where martin learned to dance and even to march, where rosa got the indignation to park, where barbara saw herself crossing jordan, where dorothy imagined new heights, where barack learned to and kamala her victory dance, where moses exodus plates with darrell stop it couldnt block it couldnt veto it couldnt filibuster it. Even with having tantrums couldnt muster a fight not for this freedom or freedom we pray this day as we pray every our father who art in heaven, our mother who art in nature so very instruments of our freedom. It is evident here, everywhere, founded grounded by our freedoms, faith here we are standing on gods promises. Our god and the god of our liberation, the god of weary years, the god of our silent tears, our god freedom fighter, our freedom giver, our freedom redeemer. Let us never forget the passion, the pride, the purpose and the priesthood of our freedom. Thank you, dear father. Thank you, mother. Thank you, dear god. Freedoms dear t the one who promised to be everything we would ever need from a Amazing Grace to every blessed assurance come now to our of every blessing come to freedoms fountain the International African Museum Ground for the free from my mothers handmedowns to my fathers pick me i come this day i come walking by faith sight sometimes dim but i to bless this place proud of my. The one of my skin and the one that i run within. I am liberation, equity and the real estate of my own faith, the substance of things hopeful and the of things not seen. I come blessed to free to free my intact looking up to thee for now and, for always freedom. Oh, freedom, freedom. Bless me. And before ill a slave, ill be buried in yonder grave and go home to my father, the author and finisher, a freedom and be free a man i say it is so, so be it i agree a man. Please welcome live from marion square, member of the International Africanamerican museum board and mayor of charleston, carolina. Since 2016, near john taplin berg. Glen. Let me hear it. Are we ready o fellow ins honored guests and friends all im deeply honored to be with you this morning and celebrate portion of the opening of the International Africanamerican museum and of the long, tragic but ultimately hopeful story that it tells for what could be more hopeful, more outrage. Justly unbelievably in firing than the of a people who loved the dream america the dream of a place on earth where all men are created equal with god given rights and the dignity of democracy, and that people refuse defiantly to stop dreaming that dream, and as if it was cruelly as it was cruelly denied to friends. We stand here today in all of that story and in solidarity with generations of africanamericans whove lived it, lived that story. Africanamericans who suffered the torture, slavery, the betrayal of reconstruction, the terror of, jim crow, the unfairness business of civil rights, african, who transformed pain into excellence in every field of human endeavor from the yards, business to science and more africanamericans who face their oppressors with and dignity and grace on city busses, at lunch counters, on a bridge, selma and a hospital all right here in charleston. And who in so doing rekindled the promise america for men and, women all over the world of. Course we charleston eons both white and black know that story because its our story. Every tragedy every triumph, every whip of the lash and every small, halting step towards progress. Those are our moments, our past and our present etched into the details of every Historic Building you see and the lives in the chambers of human heart. That is why that is why its so fitting and so vitally important that we host museum that tells that story here in charleston right, here where it happened and where we can all witness to the heartbreak but yes, the hope that is its legacy. In closing id like to offer my deepest thanks everyone who worked so hard to bring this magnet new Building Museum to life. Your tireless efforts over more than years have made this day possible in your vision of a great building and a great city where people of every background can share and discover this deeply moving, deeply american story of a dream. Yes. Denied and deferred, but never forsaken. This dream will inspire the world for generations to come. Thank you. God bless you. And god bless the city of charleston and all her people. Thank you. God. And now, please welcome, the president and chief executive of the international African American museum in charleston, South Carolina, dr. Tonya. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You have a notice. Im going to start with. Thank you. Some some really important shout outs. First to the team at the museum. Family is given its its a blessing its sent to you but teams are chosen and the international African American museum team has chosen well and it is my honor and privilege to lead us. Thank yall to the members of the board who have supported and this team. Thank you to all the pastors and, the congregations, the rabbis, imams and any of faithful who have prayed for us in any way. Especially if you prayed away todays rain. Thank you to all the dignitaries, the diaspora who have come here to celebrate with us today. Thank you to all the donors charter members and supporters from 2 million to 2. Thank you to the advisors and builders to the shouters and whisperers to the gentle and the sharp tongans who in meeting after, meeting after meeting after, meeting after meeting to bring us to this moment in this way. Thank you to all. Who answered the call to be with us today. What up . Marion square. Thank you. The ancestors. Thank you to my mommy. To my daddy. To my family. To my god. Thank you. The mission of the International Africanamerican museum is to honor the stories of the African American journey at one of our nations most sacred sites. And we are here to place African American story in its full context from 300 bce to 2023 and counting. We are here today at this site to reclaim a piece of the site of gladstones wharf and reimagine it as a space to tell one of the greatest stories of human struggle and triumph of all time. We are here honor the untold story of the African American journey. Untold, unspoken hidden refuse denied, erased and buried. Hmm. Buried the challenge were trying bury a story. Is that story. These are seeds. And sprout gentle as roses that might invite you to lean in. They sprout as determined as dandelions that will break the cracks in your concrete seed sprout as relentless li as vines that will climb a wall no matter the height as unmatched, a bowl as a saguaro, cactus blooming in sun, so that it would instantly wither a lesser plant seeds that sprout powerfully and connected as trees that have survived generation after generation hurricane and still remember to reach across the way and connect to the branches of their sister and brother oaks. These stories, our stories, this history is seed and it has been germinating for century. Let me tell a bit about what you looking at. What is surrounding us and i like those from afar to imagine zen with me. You are looking ingenuity. If youre in front of me right now, look at your feet. That is not just concrete. That is tabby. Tabby made by burning oyster shells to create lime and mashing them with water and sand, ash and broken shells. All of the that you would find at the coast. And when i looked up tabby in the encyclopedia to try to find out more it simply said tabbys origin is african but unstudied. Hmm. You are looking heritage to my right and to my left. We have replicas of what gates that adorn building a butterfly, a fish. Now, there. Once was a man called Philip Simmons. Mm hmm. Now, Philip Simmons was a master blacksmith, but they are not. They are created. They are tart. Starting at the age of 13. Mr. Simmons learned from peter simmons, a former slave. And before simmons left us, he passed on to his nephew, carlton simmons. And those are the gates that you are looking at. You are looking at heritage. You are looking at truth, tragedy and triumph. If you look to my right, we see two black granite walls, rough on the outside, polished so smooth on the inside. You can see your own reflection. In between those walls, you series of kneeling and hunched figures representing those we lost in the storage house that once sat on that spot. Some were sold, some were taken, some simply waiting for their price to go up. And then we have audacity to inscribe on the outside that my angelos poem and still i rise. You are looking connection do you see trees and these grasses from date palms to sweet grass to african irises . You are looking at connection. All of the connections that we have brought with us to this day above you is, the building that will hold and tell the stories. And thats your back is the water. Water is a powerful thing. It can carry. It can bury, it can destroy, can cleanse, it can baptize, it can it can refresh. It gives life to seeds. Im often asked by those who actually take a moment, truly immerse themselves in understanding this space, these stories. The africanamerican journey and its context, what weve lost what weve gained. But we still have to do and some ask, all of this seems so heavy, how do you hold it to borrow and twist from a phrase of my mothers day . This aint its my history. If you dont know my story, youll never understand my joy. So i will come to the end and flourish on the words that began our program a day or so ago from the reverend howard, john wesley, who opened the celebration at our worship service. And i will tell you, to understand how to carry all of this, we only need know the price. This privilege. The price was the community that built african kingdoms, countries and civilizations that these origin stories the price was the resolve that made some jump from those ships and the resolution that made others stay aboard the price. The blood, sweat and tears of, rebellion and revolution against forces far greater than could ever muster against. Retribution far greater than anything, knew how to withstand in advance the price has been paid and laid on battlefields in courtrooms, in boardrooms, in restrooms and oh yes, oh yes in classrooms. Oh, yes. The price of privilege has always then high. But to know the price of this privilege is to know where the art comes from is to know why the songs move the they do to know the price of privilege is to understand why the drum beat sounds the same in the low country as. It does in kingston and Rio De Janeiro and in accra. To know the price of this privilege is to yearn for and wallow in these stories. It is to be and embraced within these stories. No matter who you are or who your people be. To know the price of this is to honor a human story. A peoples story, my nations story the story of one of the most incredible journeys of all time. The African American story. And so we built a museum. The price of this privilege has designated every within the sound of my voice as story. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, the thieves have been planted. Let us tell this welcome to the international African American museum. Please back our masters of ceremony. Miss Phylicia Rashad rashad. Lets do that again. Thank you, dr. Matthews. I have watched the progress of this museum for many years. Ive had the good fortune to a number of you who have helped bring this incredible edifice. Institution, a place of. Into being. And i want to thank who has contributed uncountable hours to this living monument. Thank you very much the i am is committed to preserving and promoting the arts of the African Diaspora. So now i met our next guest in a classroom of Chadwick Boseman college of fine arts. He was serving as guest lecturer in an ethnomusicology class and without notes, he spoke simply with such fluidity and clarity that through explaining his instrument, the kora he also explained the entire social of his. His powerful spirit and his music convey the life. Of 150 generations of his family. He has studied music the world over with master musicians, the dali tradition. Please welcome the venerable baba amadou kouyate. And. Ask. Asks. Amadou kouyate. That sound brings us into remembrance. Yes, yes. Beautiful, sweet remembrance. Yes. Our next distinguished performer is recognized as one of the most famous malian musicians, the world. Hes master of numerous daily instruments such as the ngoni. Please welcome sheikh amala diabate. Kala, july by les on his solo, heckerling has somehow. Like m. I. A. Jelly care. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey kala, i. For one, never really know. Yeah. Im. Bored. I. Go inside. Im done with you, and im on down. Is while singing. I darwyn salam why deep down is Lang Lang Lang Lang i pseudo solemn word me dude i wish i. Am one you got him wound down year salam what ya going salah. What does does go in islam like. Know. You salam moody who does that line behind mean what do you want . Salaam arabic salaam hey, i got. Jai my lord i lose all of my talent all Jonathan Noyalas hey, hey i got. Cheb chevallier salam mali no side to side la la hey hey. Yeah. My no i lose a line when i listen listen dont want to lose salaam. Les dont lose one a guy has done salaam one salaam im one who. Think you. First we are so happy to be here today by literature Cheick Hamala diabate do you from mali, west africa . We are very glad this big, beautiful creole singer that funny down by her real name is i up to and also we have my amadou kouyate from burkina faso and a rapper called and brother i call him from mali carmela from america. We are so happy to be. Thank you for coming. God bless. Welcome back. Ceremony. Oh. I learned so. I learned god. Im i Love Learning more. So yeah, you know ive been in the and im sorry yeah amadou kouyate learning got out the way you Cheick Hamala diabate learn along with me me i love. No one even gave more than 18. I. Am. Mom i got a name for you. I literally got a name. You that im honestly i like. Honestly i like my mother i like her well funny kind of her you know what . That little tool i got out. La la la la. Come on. Is we are, you know. Actually, ive. Had a little little. And. Thank you very, very much. God bless me. Well. Please welcome back our masters of ceremonies. Miss Phylicia Rashad. We. Okay . Yes. Yes. Thank you, amadou. Then shake our country is shaped by countless members the African Diaspora music, art, politics, science. Every part of our lives is influenced inside by our collective community. But it always takes that one person that. First person to break down the barriers like marine and four time nasas Space Shuttle astronaut who served as pilot and commander and first africanamerican administrator of nasa South Carolina native, mr. Charles f bolden. Hello, my name is charles morgan. Im born and raised in columbia, South Carolina. My mother, ethel, was born right there in charleston. And i am so proud to be proud and honored to be a part of dedication ceremony today, really want to pay tribute to those of you who who dreamed of this this great museum, International Africanamerican museum there in charleston. I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of this ceremony. I wish i could be with you there in person. Hope that this video will in some regard to let you know how special. I think this actually is point of information here for some of you i happen to be a member a proud member of the united martin families of jenkins vale South Carolina and we have some really sharp historians who have gone back through the records and are able to trace our ancestry all the way back to a 17 year old slave girl, tracy born or sold auction right there in charleston at the slave market on july 1st, 1799, for the grand total of 300. One of her daughters was katie and its from katie and one of her sons, jerry that that my branch of the of the trade the family tree has come the International Africanamerican museum is just an incredible milestone at this particular time in the life of our nation, a time when we need to understand fact that black history is american history. And we need to have a particular place where people can come from around the world and learn all about what the contributions that africanamericans have made to this nation of ours. There is a long way for us to go. Our search form of a more perfect union. But i think all of us all of you who are there today understand it is a struggle that must be its a struggle and a fight that must be fought and must we must be persistent. That fight. I wish of you there today. The best. I look forward to having an opportunity to visit the museum myself in person with my before too long. I hope the future with institution and with museum and others like it to. Educate and embrace our culture, our history, our sacrifices and our contribution and to this great nation. So again, from all the buildings here in the washington, d. C. Area, the buildings right there that still in columbia and all the martins over the country, all over the world actually, thanks for allowing me to be a part of this. Congratulations to the the people who toiled to bring this dream to a reality wishing all of you, a very, very happy day and a great day of celebration i take care. With more than two decades of Public Service and only professional chef elected any state house in the united born in orangeburg and raised in hampton, South Carolina, graduated from johnson and wales university. Please welcome South Carolina representative jay. Thank you everybody. I so blessed to be here today. Arguably the hallmark of joe rileys career was his commitment to racial equality almost decades ago, as one of the youngest members of, the state house, joe riley proposed South Carolinas first holiday to honor dr. Martin luther king jr. And here you can call for that. He tiffin it the rise of africanamerican workers when they went on strike because they were getting paid than minimum wage and as mayor joe riley hired africanamericans in prominent position and displayed porches of dr. Martin luther king and mark veasey and state buildings. He organized and led a march walking from charles then to the state house columbia urging state legislators to remove the Confederate Flag on top that capitol building. Wait, it gets better it gets better. That next week it came down and it remained down in a less place on the statehouse ground until finally it came down in 2015, in january 2000, mayor riley proposed the idea for this. That was 23 years ago. I was 15. This journey has been a long one. A lot of ups and downs, lot of challenges, but one constant one consists one courageous leader, joe riley. He never. He never gave up, he never compromise mission. He never compromise on excellence. Is in his excellent. C. When i first moved to charleston, 20 years ago to go to college, there was four people that my dad told me i needed to meet. He gave me their phone numbers and insisted i give them all a call and develop a relationship with each of them. One of those people was mayor. He and my dad have been friends, Close Friends for a long time because of my dads civil rights work throughout the country. But for whatever reason, you know how we are as kids sometimes i didnt take my dads advice. I will go on living in charleston for almost a decade before meeting this man, even though my dad told how important he was to see. It was july the third of 2012 that i finally took my advice. It the day my father died. I dont know why, but the first person i called once got the news from my mother was mayor riley. He picked up the phone, though he didnt know who i was. Later that day, we met in his office. He gave me a hug. Soon as he saw me. We talked a while and then called my mother, gave her his condolences and said we finally met. Despite being the mayor of this city. He stopped everything he was doing to acknowledge my humanity i was so deeply appreciative of that it was that that kept our city together three years later. On june 17th of 2015 when a white supremacist. Killed nine parishioners including. My beloved sister Mara Thompson and the Mother Emanuel Ame Church in that moment, mayor rileys humanity. And from the ability to comfort the downtrodden and helped heal the in divided city nation. We are here today because of this extraordinary mans human unity. His leadership, his vision, his relentless pursuit of equality and excellence. Its what a humble, hard and gratitude to all of you that introduced the honorable americas forever mayor. My mayor, joseph riley mayor. Cathy. Thank you. Thank you very much and thank you, jay, for your gracious introduction and thanks to each and every one of you who have got to help get us to this historic this museum, tell the Untold Stories of the journeys of enslaved what free citizens who are forcibly torn the Ancestral Lands separated heartlessly from their loved ones, chained in the house of ships to endure a long and brutal passage across a rolling sea, and sold into slavery. This museum will tell history where history took place. It gets into off the sacred site where we are gathered together today. This building, a powerful site. The building does not occupy the land rather a rest on these 18 pillars allowing it to have a weightless lee and respect to this hallowed ground. Professor Henry Louis Gates jr call charleston zero for the africanamerican experience. And indeed it is almost half the africans who were brought to america arrived in charleston and the majority of africanamericans living today can trace their history here this museum will tell their stories, stories of tragedy and stories of triumph of resilience, of historic achievement, and of extraordinary courage and genius. As many of you know, this museum started a book, edward balls, Award Winning slaves in the family. I bought a copy as soon as it was published in 98, and i met edward ball years earlier while he was in charleston researching writing this book where he explores his familys slave owning past. Reading this book for me was transformative. When i finished it avowed, we must build this museum in charleston. It was long past time that we told our true history, our countrys history, because true statutory free to understand, free to respect and free to appreciate the spectrum spectrum of shared history. Free to feel empathy and common purpose, and freed to build a stronger future together. Getting to this historic moment has been a long journey. It took hard work over these past 23 years. We raised over 125 million from tens of thousands of donors. I estimate that we made about 10,000 individual phone calls and at least 6000 preplanned sit down fundraising meetings. And our quest to seek and demand excellence. And every single aspect of this museum is unrelenting. The results are splendid. Harry cobbs, elegant building, walter hood extraordinaire and landscape design. Robust exhibits the start of a family and committed staff and volunteers nationwide partnerships and generous donors. This museum that we opened today is a gift to country, and it a gift to each of us at a future generations, this powerful museum will teach us and inspire us to build about a future together. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome consul general of barbados mr. Rudy grant. Good afternoon, everyone. It is really a pleasure and an honor to be here today at this very historic time for the opening of. The international African American museum, as stand here, i am forced to reflect on our past, connect that pass to our present and do that as we think of the course we will chart with respect, our future barbados and charleston. We are inextricably linked. Many of the slave ships which came here to charleston came to the carolinas, came through barbados. Barbados was, a port where those stocked and as they participated, the various activities. I could not help wonder what it was like for our ancestors as they journeyed here. It must have been challenging. It must have been extremely difficult and. Very reflect on the reality as well, that the barbados code was utilized for de carolina slave goods, which were hard or which were very, very difficult, which inhumane. It makes this moment a very. One. But we must not simply reflect on our history without looking at how we can, in a very positive, contribute to Global Public good. Two days ago in paris, the world Bank Accepted to include four small islands, developing states, a debt resilient clause. And that came out of the bridgestone initiative, which was put forward by our prime minister, the honorable maya, a more motley. I reflect that to tell you that we must in our words, determine how we reflected on our past will make this world a better place. Barbados has the large slave ancestor records of the United Kingdom and of you who visited . Barbados. Last year october would have been to the newton slavery memorial. We are 270. Slaves are buried. I know that the International Museum on, our ministry of culture will be collaborating. It is important that we have these collaborations because it is critical that our history entwined is, one that we recognize and that we must utilize for our advantage and to our benefit. On thursday evening, i was the a. M. E. Church. Whoa. What what a wonderful time. That was. Very fulfilling, very inspiring and good spiritual food. And after the sermon sermon, listened to the choir sing the words of that hymn. That song that is performed some 10 million times annually across globe. Amazing grace. And as i listened to the words of that song, i could not help but reflect on the fact that was written by a slave trader. Right . That was written. John newton, a man who became a preacher and a man who became a slave abolitionist. And i thought to myself, what great thing how the lord can transform. In his works. My my brothers and sisters, i reflect on that because. I believe that as we look at our history, we reflect on our history we must ensure that we and our individual is used or sounds to eliminate racism or to eliminate classism to eliminate schism. And to ensure that we make this a better place for when we do that, we will be able together to save those words that dr. Martin luther king referred to in his i have a dream speech. Free at last. Free at last. Thank god almighty, we are free at last. 23 years in this struggle and we fight to ensure that. This museum becomes a reality. Marcus messiah garvey said that a people without knowledge of its history origin and culture is like a tree without roots. The International Museum is ensuring that the history told and that mr. Stories are told and that we with our past as we determine how we will go forward in the future on behalf of the government and people of barbados saw prime minister, the honorable moore mottley on behalf of our caribbean people, i wish to congratulate the board of the International Africanamerican museum, to congratulate all you who have made this moment, a reality and. To say to you that we, barbados and we are being looked forward to collaborating with you as we create a public good in the way we function and way we act. May god bless, all of you like. Please welcome back our masters of ceremonies. Ms. Phylicia rashad. The i is an international and we want to welcome our sisters and brothers from far off places, which include barbados, ghana and belize. And to elliot mentioned burke, a director from unescos. We thank you for coming we welcome you and now our next guest hmm. Our next is a National Book award winner for poetry conway south native and, the john h. Bennett junior chair in creative and southern letters at the university of South Carolina. Please welcome, author and poet nikky finney. Thank you. One of our story is is a resistance story. Black who were free thinking and free move ing and eight times greater in number were the greatest threat to South Carolina. In 1740. The maroons South Carolina. 97 days on ships named for friendship and jesus hundreds of thousands chained the wooden ribs. Times 137 years when island finally came view. There were some who had seen enough. The forced feeding, the dysentery, the lightning pop of the cattle. Nine tales. The young girls entered and exited like saloon. The fevered sharks in the waves. I said. 97 days times. 137 years. Change side ways on schooners named for fringe ship and jesus. Soaked in human filth. They they decided to escape to the wilderness before anything more could happen. Once on their feet, they threw their selfdetermined eyes out fishing nets. The river oaks with their mossy hair beckoned the interminable swamps impenetrable cane breaks inaccessible. Everglades the Great Southern wild, oddly familiar was perfect. Their decision to run the wilderness was fueled by the resolve to never be owned by anyone ever. The wanted posters called them bandits and outlander. The woods was full of them. They met up in the wilderness, hid the hinterlands deep in the cane and the blackberry undiscovered but hunted, had children, built settlements, kept. Every time they heard pounding of the dogs, they buried themselves deeper in dugouts next to the fox, holding sour breath like pearl. They saw themselves into the back land during the sunlight, venturing out, going abroad only when stark light lit the camp, rather be enslaved. They turned into owls. The great dismal named them after flowers that, only open to the moon. They stared up at venus until jupiter appeared, then threw back their heads to sketch the big dipper. They grew. Herbs use and roots from medicine collected, black moss and sea grass for beds, ingenious and, dangerous, reinvented, defied legislative black, changed the narrative of what america decided a black man was. A black woman was not made into law. What a black child must produce in order to endowed their insatiable bowl hunger for. Carolina gold. The old people remember leaving whatever they had at the end of their cotton picking day at the edge of the forest, just for them the woods was full of them. The outlandish inventive, indigo skinned maroons, South Carolina selfconfident selfsufficient, prone to stealing pigs and cows from the big house in order to eat their lives had been stolen, but it was still their life to live. They refused to wait for plessy versus ferguson or brown versus board education or malcolm or martin or mary mcleod bethune, american justice was slow, improbable and dream of both. But even in the wild there was news of stonewall. Yes. Free minded and crafty. These outlandish love to sit in a circle free under the stars and remember the story of the beginning of the world and how it all began on the back of a turtle. The woods was full of them. They entered the forest to live, be companion to the cypress. The sweet gum, the great live oak trusted the sacredness of trees more than iron hands, who thought nothing of slicing off an ear or peeling back in achilles. As long as it kept others from going into the wilderness as with them inside song of the ivory billed woodpecker or curled around the velvet skin of crape myrtle, or draped alongside the firefly in bouquets yellow jasmine, they prayed, whispered to their tree gods open hands, close their eyes to the rain spirits. The invention of how to steal away was. Their cold, wet and full of a different of trouble. Are trouble. But it was their wilderness, their outlandish spider houses on stilts were secretly of great human invention, complete with high and low tide, with listening out. Loving in. When and where they. Decided to love without permit. Ocean built Human Networks of wisdom. Solidarity kept the secrets of other black people kept no clock time and grew long and laughing and blue black. We are now the daguerreotype of their stealth and courage and the eyes of our children will unfold into the 3d dioramas of their radical determination soon to thrive in any wilderness. We have no final tally of how many outlandish maroons South Carolina were captured, killed, made examples of, but the grandmothers have sent me word that there would be no 18 columns of crushed oysters, no real mccoy. Fanciful fishing nets. No weeping, tied. No majestic gates. Twisted into towers of black pearls. No. Audaciously handcarved pecan wooden couches. No. Stellar sweet grass. Beehive baskets. No rackets. Lean at the ready. None of none of this without the maroons of South Carolina and their 400 year old inclination for outlandish. In 1992, he became the states youngest africanamerican ever elected at the time. Please welcome, the Senior Pastor at Bible Way Church atlas road in columbia, South Carolina. Senator darrell jackson, senior. And glover alston, symphony. Thank you to nikki. And we will never forget you a father who made history. The first africanamerican chief justice of the South Carolina supreme court. Greetings everyone, i am honored to be here today as a member of the South Carolina General Assembly. I want to thank chair wilbur johnson, vice chair keith waring and ceo and president Tonya Matthews. Certainly congressman James Clyburn and a very special thank you to mayor joe riley, who ive had the privilege of working with on this project for over 20 years, helped me once again thank you around. I am thrilled that state of South Carolina has been a significant in the construction of this magnificent one of a kind International Africanamerican museum and i very very pleased to announce that the South Carolina General Assembly. You must take note that this is the place where the civil war began, the place where the first shots were fired at fort sumter. But the South Carolina, the General Assembly over the past 20 years have allocated. 27 million plus to this project. In since 2014, in very strong support this in acknowledging trauma and the triumphs of the africanamerican expo. This is so fulfilling particularly for someone like me, who trace his ancestral slavery background. To 1775, a year before the declaration of independence. Im reminded of a song that my grandfather father taught me and his enslaved mother taught him and her enslaved father taught him and his enslaved father taught him the song set up above my head. Sounds like church in here. I music in the air. There must be a god somewhere listening. I conclude and leave you with the words paraphrase using the great nelson, which he said educating the next generation must be of our most urgent priority. It is. We all know that education more than anything else improves our chances of building better lives. Nelson mandela listened. I believe that this International Africanamerican museum will provide our with the opportunity to be educated, to explore our history, with open minds, allowing them to see the African American journey from this state to this nation to this world. And then they, too, would be able to sing that song that my grandfather me. Up above my head i hear music in the air. There must be a god somewhere. God bless you. Please welcome our masters of ceremonies. Miss Phylicia Rashad rashad. Education. The i am is a very rich institution of education. Here we help families by educating them on their history, young people of whats possible for their futures and everyone on the history of generations have come before us. As an educator and the first africanamerican president of spelman in atlanta, georgia. Dr. Jeannette of the cole began, her esteemed academic career in collegiate education at fisk university, where she admitted at age 15. Mm hmm. And most of us have only a chase and something. Please welcome author and Award Winning educator to in tier one colleges and, universities, anthropologist, civic leader and one of the most fascinated people i have ever met, dr. General, be called. My sisters, my brothers, my siblings, all. It is still morning. Oh, good morning. And theres dr. Maya angelou. I would say. Were she here with at this moment. She would say it is a morning we have never see seen before and it is a morning we will never see again. It is a profound only special morning as we gather over at the saint great ground, vincent nash and no African American museum. One of my favorite proverbs says this it does no harm to be grateful and so i want drawing on the lesson of that proverb to turn to my beloved sister friend. This has to president and ceo oh of this extraordinary. I want to say to the good doctor Tonya Matthews thank you. Thank you all the work that you have done to make my dream. To make the dream of each of you, to the dream of millions and and millions of people a reality. And yet i know this, mr. President , i know her well, and i know that she would be the first to say that a project of of this size and complex city is never, ever done by a single individual. It takes. A team. It takes a team of 90. Around a shared goal as an african proverb teaches us say when spider unite they can even tie up a lion. It was a leadership team. The board of directors and volunteers, corporate and private donors and many others who worked together to get us to this celebrate true day. But i do want to acknowledge and thank. Three very special individuals. Ive decided to call them the righteous brothers. Though he has been acknowledged and thanked so beautifully. Ive got to call the name of brother man joe riley. We know of all that. Hes done for this city for re developing downtown to going is a business and cultural center. We know what he continues to mean. To those of us in the Africanamerican Community not just here in this city. I mean, all of us. And how would we ever forget his for following those profoundly sad tragic days of the emanuel a m in Church Shooting and yet the this brother said, yes, that is it his view it is this place. This place that is his best work. I also want to acknowledge him for the contributions of the honor of both brother comes one James Clyburn clyburn. It was this righteous brother who was the first chair of the board. An early staunch advocate for this museum. Sure, having the carolina gold gallery named after their brother, congressman wolf, fought every time him to this great museum. It will stand among his county list accomplishments for his for our country. Im not gonna stop there and for our world brother. Congress smiling. Its not from the. Its not from middle is from the bottom of our hearts that we thank you and i want to. Brother professor ibarra, artist bernard powers. Why. For his important work, the academy. Work that center in teaching and learning about that profoundly peculiar institute that enslavement of millions of african people. But we also to acknowledge and thank you, brother. Professor, for your work as. The interim president of this museum. Now, when we think about the work of all of these individual on this long journey from the very idea of this museum to this day, then ive just got to lift up another african proverb, you know, it. If you want to go fast, go ahead. Go along. But if you want to go far, go together. This museum is is on the hallowed ground. Where i am looking out at gaps in this wharf, where almost half of all enslaved africans were forcibly brought to the United States. When brothers secretary this funzioni and lonnie bunch said that this place is is is one of the most sacred sites of african history in western hemisphere. He spoke the truth. And as i stand here, look out on that beautiful and haunting view, i cannot help but think of what it must have been like for the estimated 100,000 enslaved africans as they arrived lived right there. Between 783. And 1807. I their fear, their bewilderment, their terror. Because those women and men and chil dren, they must have felt the depths of their soul that would never again see their families, their loved ones, their friends, their home, their. I can also tell not avoid thinking of beautiful that horn place that evoked similar emotions for me because it is a door of no return on goree island off of the coast of present day senegal. I remember standing there and weeping being as i looked out water. Water where life its. But what that for my people became a place of terror and. I looked out through that door of no return and i thought about my great great great great great, great, great grandmother. And to magician in my. I thought about her shack brought to that and forced through the door of no return onto a ship that would begin her horrific journey in the infamous middle passage. I thought about her lifes journey. How. 1806 when she was only 13 years old, she was captured shackled bound, marched. It didnt matter that she was a princess of the wall of people. She was sent in those shackles to the door of no return. Put on an Auction Block in. Havana, cuba. And it was there that zephaniah kingsley, a enslaver, had traveled from his plantation in northern florida for the explicit purpose of buying people. He bought her. He impregnated her. They reached his plantation. But she and the horrific experience of enslavement because of the color of her skin and that she was a woman. This museum was will tell the story not just of and magician and john but the story of so many of our answers. But let us be clear in telling the stories of the toil and drama of a slave paid africans in the weary lands of the socalled new world. This museum will all so tell the stories. Hmm. Of resistance of revolt. Of resilience. This museum will tell the stories of the years that follow the legal segregation and the ongoing of systemic racism. And it will also tell the story of all of the black people and their allies, our allies of different and multiple identities, who as our schiro, the great civil rights warrior ella baker, said billie in freedom and will not rest until you come. Well, i understand that many people wish that this entire a national africanamerican museum had opened years ago ago i just must say i believe that this museum is opening exactly at the right time in our nations history. And is opening it is so sorely needed for we are living through and especially troubling time, a time of continuous danger to our democracy. Many states, including the one i live in, it is called florida. Have passed laws that im going say this, that actually ban books. Laws are being passed. It made it make it illegal to teach the truth about African American history. Story in the horrors of. And systemic racism that continues plague our nation. That is why this museum is opening at the right time time because because if one day we really to form a more perfect union, then weve got to find only heed the wisdom of our brother and writer, civil rights activist baldwin. He said not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed. That is not. And it is this museum that will help us as nation. How people from around the Global Community to face and own the trauma of enslavement and yes the extraordinary ways we will face and own and be inspired by the extra ordinary ways in which the enslaved live and we the of the enslaved lived continue to insist on triumph over it. The folks who grew me up in florida in the jim crow jim crow era would say this about about all these efforts in states across our country to ban the teaching about the truth of African American history. Well, first of all, they would look me as a girl. You cant know where going if dont know where you have been. And so drawing on that rhythm, we here in black church, let me just say my my, my, my, my, my, my. What a day it is. It is a day. It is a day. When we the descendants of the enslaved. It is a day when all people. Have a chance. To continue to be old for better future. Because we are. About our past. Just. And so as an african succinctly puts it, you must know your to inform your future. Join with me. My sisters, brothers, my siblings. All join me in acknowledging the internet. I know africanamerican museum for all that it is and will. Not to give some of us, but to give all of us the possibility of a far better future. Please. A special performance by j. C. Decosta johnson in collaboration with charleston, South Carolina, dancers amadou kouyate and the charleston symphony orchestra. Right right. Dear charleston. What has it felt like to walk on bones buried under cobblestones as dear charleston . You have historical markers of muted melanin with. Unmarked stories no longer. But now finally told. That. Perhaps. In black spirits cannot be absent from anything. Especially in South Carolina, where every open abandoned space holds a families, a racist ego and racism is embedded in every memory. We, the living, have the privilege of being restful ghosts. We haunt material Little Things and hold our history in excess. But here and everywhere around, us we walk among the haunted and old house cannot be interred without touching its and untold old story is an unmarked grave waiting for revision. This is why we preserve what once, once condemned to, put fresh ink on, faded text, and to remember, we cannot erase each other. And. To. Here the assistant democratic leader and states house of representatives and chairman of the democratic faith group and was the first africanamerican just serve multiple terms as majority whip the first africanamerican advisor to a South Carolina governor and the recipient of 36 honorary degrees. Please welcome United States james eagles library. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. There are similar moments in our lives. There. We will always remember this is one of those moments for me. I often about the first conversation i had with my good friend, then mayor joe riley about his vision of an African American museum here in charleston. As a former history teacher who, for i really started my political orientation. This was just a few blocks from here. I learned early the importance of knowing our past. And so was all in with this project. After getting permission permission. And joe rather first ask that i chair the Steering Committee to this project going. I was a bit reticent because as all of you know this is a pretty touchy subject but there has been recurring theme throughout my life since childhood. I have collected turtles. You find hundreds of them in my offices and throughout my home. My fascination with turtles began with the fable of the tortoise and the hare and its moral. The deliberate speed and steady will in the end through the years ive collected these turtles, and while amassing this collection i have learned other from these reptile on wall of my dc office, as opposed to that i have kept them for many years. Below the illustration of a turtle, the poster reads. Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. I think joe will agree with me that. We stuck our necks out to be this effort in early days. There were intense discussions about what of museum this should be. One school of thought was that the focus should be on. Others felt it had to be much more. Thankfully, a lot thought prevailed. This museum tells a story of perseverance through the middle passage. Resist attempts to. Triumphs over. Jim crow and contributions to the greatness of this country. During this past day, i hosted several hundred visitors, including some members of congress, and we gave them a sneak peek of this museum. They were so impressed by research and of that experi, several of them have already made plans to come back and bring their families. Joe their reactions me that your. Visit has been accomplished your invitation to this be an historic destination. Within one of americas most historic cities in americas most historic state you from virginia or massachusetts might want to argue that point. But i think i can win on the merits. Im currently writing my third book, contrary to popular belief. I am not the first africanamerican to serve in congress from South Carolina. I am the ninth. That is why the work and title of my new book is before i. Was first. There were eight. Now joseph rainey, a native of georgetown, was the first. The the late thelma fielding, who was the wife of the late herbert fielding, was a descendant of rainey, the was from sumter. George washington married and i have always been told that he was a relative of mine. Some say that that relationship about as a of marriage. Others have said that relationship came about although there was no marriage. I dont know. I was not there. How however. Dr. Matthews, i believe center for Family History is going to help me solve that puzzle. So today, i also congratulate to mayor riley. I am honored and grateful to have been on this journey with you. Your journey reminds me about another turtle lesson. If you see a turtle sitting on a fence, posts you know it didnt get there alone. Well, you, my friend. Are a man. Many talents. You knew you couldnt get this done alone. Your collaborations with a plethora of public and private corporations and many whom are here brought this Monumental Task to completion. And what a glorious result. I want to say as. As i close a lot of discussion went into what the name of this museum. Be. We took weeks, maybe even months trying to decide upon the name and and we decided upon in the national africanamerican museum. And we wanted the acronym to be i am. So i want to say to all of you today if you dont want to take the time to say the full. It takes much less time to say i am than just to recite the alphabet. I am. Thank you you. Please welcome back. Our mistress of sarah moses, miss Phylicia Rashad. Congressman clyburn, you have been instrumental in the journey to this day of the. I am. Thank you for this museum and the history and stories it stands to tell. The this museum is here to help us rediscover history and to us of the forgotten, not lost parts of our culture and traditions we are about to present our final performers for this mornings program. Discovered in. 80 by music historian ians. Music historians in 1980 discovered a Family Living in the brier Patch Community of boldon georgia who were still practice sing the ring shout as gullah geechee ancestors had done. The mcintosh shouters survive and strive to keep the original unbroken ring and africanamerican music tradition alive. Please welcome the mcintosh shouters. Good afternoon. I bring you greetings and warm wishes from the beautiful coast of southeastern georgia, and especially the world renowned, authentic Mcintosh County shouters. The mcintosh shouters often perform merengue shouts and sing songs that slaves were singing when they arrived by ship in virginia and 1700s. Songs were given to us at birth and we will sing them all we are worth. We were an enslaved people, but now we are free. We are free. Good jubilee. Oh, my. The end. Got. O o o. They. Got. O. O o. O o. O. O o. Come back. O. O. Thank you you. Please welcome back. Deen, rashad and the ceo of the International Africanamerican museum, dr. Tonya mack hughes. All right. So who we have to the end and let me say the one thing i have been waiting to say for the entire program. Phylicia rashad is hosting the opening of the International Africanamerican fair. Okay. All right. Yeah, i know it. I came up, man. Okay. I just want to say that i know that ive wanted to say that, but this been amazing ing and moving and hope you felt all of the emotions that i did. I cried. I laughed. Clap. I almost danced. It was a i want to thank who was behind the scenes. Youre looking at this thing. You know there is not a small army. There is a large large army that made all of this happen and all of that energy. And again, im so honored, madam, since the keynote and all of those who graced this stage today and who will grace this stage in years to come, because i got a feeling were going to be back, yall. I got a feeling were going to be back in russia. Oh, thank you. So. Museums should be more than just a place to store relics and forgotten stories. And thats why this museum will forever be a place of remembrance and celebration and a living breathing, evolving which elevates the country of the African Diaspora in art cultures, music, architecture, design, storytelling, politics, activism, and how the entire world has been touched and changed by our ancestors, by us. And well continue to be changed through our generations if we are to continue to make progress in changing the world, we must be willing to through. We must stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. We must lift up those who cannot rise on their own. And we must not. The fire of change dwindle and die out. Please. It is our collective to keep it alive, make it spread, to actually enact change. Its a very personal and deliberate decision to inspire instead of apathy, to listen and ignore, to honor and be honest in. We tell our stories charleston go for ever be recorded in history as the place where countless africans came to our nation, as but now today charleston can forever be recorded as the place where generations of true history and stories were set free to be honored. May the International Africanamerican museum inspire of us to be courageous just when others fear to be strong, when others fall to love, when hurt . This is how tomorrow brighter than today. The museum is elevated to honor and respect land on which we stand. We are the dreams of our ancestors. We are what. They fought for. We are why they fought to be free. We are their legacy. And they are why we must continue to fight for truth and hope. We are the alma alma. We thank you for being here with us today to celebrate the grand opening the International Africanamerican, which is now open. And we welcome you and we welcome future generations. Thank you all