John lewis people may not know that he is responsible for john lewis was one of the major pushers who achieved the construction of the Smithsonian National museum of africanamerican history and culture. From the smithsonian archives, im going to read a little to you from what the smithsonian says john lewis did to get that museum up. 1998, new bills were introduced annually in congress by representative john lewis to create a national africanamerican Heritage Museum and memorial within the smithsonian institution. 1991, a smithsonian Blueribbon Commission recommended the creation of a National Museum devoted to africanamericans to clutch their to collect, analyze, research, and organize exhibitions on a scale and definition that matched the major museums devoted to other aspects of american life. Thecommission recommended museum be temporarily located in the arts and industrials Industries Building until a new, larger facility could be built, but the legislation stalled amid androversy