>> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states, accompanied by first lady michelle obama. [applause] >> please remain standing for the national anthem. >> ready? detail, halt. ♪ >> ♪ oh, 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 rocket's 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 for the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] >> order! marching file. ready, step. [drumming] [applause] >> please welcome pastor of the abyssinian baptist church in new york city, reverend dr. calvin o. butts iii. rev. butts: it is hard to believe it has been four years since we were first here for the groundbreaking. what a tremendous accomplishment. and a special word of appreciation goes out to brother lonnie bunch. [applause] rev. butts: only through his efforts and a dedicated staff that worked with him was this able to be accomplished. the night is beautiful. so are the faces of my people. the stars are beautiful. so are the eyes of my people. beautiful also is the sun. beautiful also are the souls of my people. say it loud. i am black and i am proud. say it loud. i am black and i am proud. say it loud. i am black and i am proud. when those thousands of slaves -- slave ships took us far beyond the sights and smells of our land, and beyond the far-reaching flights of our thes, deposited us in caribbean, south america, central america, and the wilderness of north america -- there, we were asked to sing one of the songs. some said, how can we sing the lord's song in a strange land? but others said, you can sing if you know the lord. and we did saying. -- sing. we sang spirituals, we sang the blues. broadway, -- day saying -- they sing them on broadway, they sing them in symphonies they fixed them so , they don't even sound like me. they took my spirituals. they put them in that beth, carmen jones, in all kinds of swing, everything, what about me? i guess one day someone will stand up and talk about me. they are going to write about me. they are going to write about me, black and beautiful. they will do plays about me, make movies about me. where is oprah winfrey? make movies about me. and i guess it will be me. yes, it will be me. what we are witnessing here today, beloved, is the accomplishment of many, all walks of life coming together to put up this monument to those who made america great. oh, yes. we built the wall. mud on top ofnd each other, so that the dutch would be protected from english. we built the wall. not only literally, but we built it figuratively. anybody could be great if you for 250orking for you years and never paid me a dime. [applause] rev. butts: come on. then, we had to get it straight. a family is here. their father was in the civil war. civil war tried to straighten us -- straighten it out. after the civil war was over, france had to send a statue over here to commemorate me. we put it in the harbor of my home, new york city. we called it the statue of liberty. we welcomed everybody. what do you want to send people away for? this is give me your tired, your humble masses. send these to me. i lift my lamp beside the golden door .we need this museum policy -- and me me polishing the door to keep it cold in all these years -- keep it golden all these years. [applause] rev. butts: i see this audience in front of me, by know there are those across the country watching this now. i celebrate this date because not only do we have a chance to give great applause to our president, the one and only, who has done more for this country than i have seen in a long time, barack obama. [applause] rev. butts: i want you to know, beloved, as i stand here -- i'm almost through, but i'm a baptist preacher, so that is the first finish -- the words of inspiration are meant to say to you that in this museum, lonnie has major we have all we need. in this museum is the blood, sweat, and tears of generations. in this museum is the blood, sweat, and tears of men who have gone out to raise the dollars to make this work. that is why i'm glad they sat me next to ken. you ought to give him a round of applause, because he did a lot of hard work to get this done. [applause] rev. butts: finally, i want to state about the unrest in the nation today, and i'm very aware of what is going on. when i go in here and walk past the casket of emmett till, i'm very aware of what is going on. i want you to know that this was only accomplished because men and women of goodwill, black and white, rich and poor, republican and democrat, put their hearts together, their minds together, and their hands together in order to build this great monument to a people who have truly given their all to the united states of america. finally, i want to say, do not be discouraged -- listen, beloved, do not be discouraged by what is ahead. hold onto your dreams and keep the faith. one african-american preacher wrote in the lyrics of a song, harder yet maybe this fight, and right they often yield to mike. satan's cause -- often yield to might. gain,s cause may seem to but there is a god above. i think dr. king was right. i think marian anderson was right. i think so many who have gone before us are right. i think barack obama is right. if we are right, god will fight our battles, and we will be free someday. i think you for gathering today. we have a wonderful celebration before us. may god bless you. may god bless the african american museum of history and culture. may god bless america. thank you so much. [applause] >> ladies and jenna men, the secretary of the smithsonian institution, david scorney. [applause] david: good morning. what a historic day to be together on the national mall of the united states. it is my distinct pleasure to welcome everyone to this dawning of a new era at the smithsonian institution today. today, we open wide the doors of this museum to people in the nation's capital, throughout america, and across our world. the dream that so many envisioned is made real. several people who supported us along the way are here with us this morning, including john lewis, representative of georgia's fifth district and author of the original legislation to establish the museum. [applause] david: sam brownback, governor of kansas and lead senate sponsor and co-author of the legislation. [applause] david: it is also my great honor to welcome former president and mrs. bush and president and mrs. obama. [applause] david: thank you all for your enthusiastic support of this endeavor. welcome as well to vice president joe biden and dr. jill biden. [applause] david: mr. vice president, i personally thank you for your work on behalf of our work as the board of regents of the thehsonian, and for commitment of both of you to the smithsonian and our newest museum. let me also recognize paul ryan, speaker of the house. [applause] david: former president bill clinton. [applause] david: nancy pelosi, house democratic leader, representative of california's 12 district. eleanor holmes norton, delegate to the district of columbia. [applause] david: and muriel bowser, mayor of washington, d.c. [applause] david: and to the supreme court justices, members of the cabinet, members of congress, members of the diplomatic corps, foreign dignitaries, and all of our distinguished guests, welcome. thank you for your tremendous support of the smithsonian and of this museum of african american museum and culture. like all of the smithsonian museums, this one truly belongs to the american people. a museum is many things, but two elements are most important. the people who curate, preserve, and share its stories, and the collection itself. the incredible passion for this museum becomes evident when you find out about its collections. the majority of its nearly 37,000 objects, 3000 of which are currently on display, come from individuals and families, memories passed down through generations, stored in cupboards , hung on walls, displayed on coffee tables. yet the people who donated these knew of mementos new -- their great power. the items displayed on the walls of this museum display truths. the african-american story is indivisible from the american story. [applause] david: that story is often resilient, triumphant, and inspiring. but it is also tragic. the museum candidly confronts and interprets slavery and jim haunt us toies that this day. because of its honesty, this museum will spark dialogue, not just about our past, but about our president. it will be an important part of the national conversation, helping us to more effectively face our racial issues and divisions and move forward, somehow, together. this is striking monument to african-american contributions and citizenship, this national museum of african american history and culture, will help us in our common cause of building a more perfect union. to quote lincoln, it will strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds. congratulations to director lonnie bunch and his staff for this remarkable achievement, and to the museum's council, the smithsonian regents, and all of the staff who made this possible. thank you. [applause] >> please welcome the vice chair of the board of regents of the andhsonian institution president of the polytechnic institute, dr. shirley ann jackson. jackson: good morning. it is a high honor for me to be here today. i began my life, my education, surrounded by the resources of our nation's capital. but in a segregated school. the people with the highest expectations for me, as a young african-american girl, were my parents. my mother taught my siblings and me to read before kindergarten your -- kindergarten. my father, very mechanically gifted, served in world war ii, in a segregated army unit. during the normandy invasion, he dders of the ru amphibious vehicles bringing the troops to shore, which kept breaking. he did this under fire. for that, he received a bronze star. my parents, born just 50 years after the end of the civil war, alone could not have carried me to the life i have had. without the confluence of two events that sent me on a new trajectory and had the smithsonian institution not been here to substantiate that influence. the first was the brown v. board of education supreme court decision, which allowed me to attend integrated schools instead of traveling miles across washington to segregated schools. the second event was the launch by the soviet union of sputnik one, the first artificial satellite, which ignited my interest in science and strengthened the math and science curriculum in the public schools in the united states. in junior high school, i was tested and placed in an accelerated honors program, which led me to m.i.t., where i was one of only two african-american women in my class. the first ever. my great fortune was having the smithsonian has -- as an extension of my classroom. it opened my eyes to the wonders of the natural world and to science. it's art and cultural resources allowed me to understand other eras, other places, other lives. it's developed my empathy, imagination, and sophistication. it took a young girl, not from a wealthy background, from a segregated environment, and en ched and a noble -- nobled her life immensely. today, the smithsonian institution launches a museum with a history, culture, and heroism of african-americans, like my father, like congressman john lewis, like our president, barack obama, and others, are recognized fully, constituting a great tributary, feeding the larger strain of our national story. this is so meaningful for me and for millions like me, to see the full story of the people who came here enslaved, yet lifted so many others up and ultimately themselves. we do a very great thing today for the millions of children from all over the nation and from around the globe who will come to the national museum of african american history and culture, be moved and astonished, and emerge with an elevated sense of their own heritage, their own prospect, their own potential. my father always says, aim for the stars. that is what he told me. treetops,t reach the and be sure to get off the ground. i took his advice. many african-americans, their achievements, large and small, now are given a place of honor here on the national mall. on behalf of the board of regents of the smithsonian institution, i thank all of you for being here and all of those who brought this to reality. i, too, am america. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, angela bassett and robert de niro. [applause] angela: from the time that african-americans were brought to these shores in slave ships, they have written down, sometimes in secret, sometimes in open air, their herds and heartaches, their joys and the music inside. this is what they have said. frederick douglass, statesmen, abolitionist, and escaped slave, said this. there is but one destiny us, seems to me, left for and that is to make ourselves and be made by others apart of the american people in every sense of the word. the way to right wrongs is to turn the light off truth upon them. one had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog. said ida b wells, former slave and one of the founders of the naacp. robert: mohammed ali came off the ropes in the eight round. he shook the world by speaking truth to power. this is what he said. champions are not made in gyms, champions are made from something they have deep inside them. a desire, a dream, a vision. they have to have the last minute of stamina, they have to be a little faster, have the skill and the will. but the will must be stronger than the skill. angela: when they asked her why she did not give up her seat on the bus when they told her to, rosa parks said this -- i was not tired physically, i was not old, i was 42, no, the only tired i was was tired of giving in. robert: i believe that if one can experience diversity, touch a variety of its people, laugh at its craziness, distill wisdom from its tragedies, and attempt to synthesize all this inside oneself without going crazy, one would have earned the right to call oneself a citizen of the united states. so wrote to the pulitzer prize-winning author, james alan mcpherson. angela: congressman john lewis, who at 21, was one of the 13 original freedom riders, said this. "we may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us. ours is not a struggle that lasts a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or a few years during -- years. it is a struggle of a lifetime. " thank you. >> please welcome u.s. representative of the fifth congressional district of georgia, john lewis. [applause] rep. lewis: president and mrs. obama, vice president biden, dr. jill biden, president and mrs. bush, president clinton, mr. chief justice, and members of the board of regents, to the museum advisory council, secretary davis, and dr. lonnie bunch, to the leadership of the united states congress and all of my colleagues in both the house and senate, in memory of the late representative of texas, the architects of this incredible building, and to all the staff of the white house, the federal agencies, the congress, the smithsonian, who pushed and pulled together to make this moment happen, and to all of the construction companies and their crews, i thank you. thank you for all you did to help lead our society to this magnificent day. a uniteds there is states of america, now there will be a national museum of african american history and culture. rep. lewis: this is a great achievement. i tell you, i feel like singing the song at the march on washington over 50 years ago. how we got over. how we got over. there were some who said it could not happen. who said, you can't do it. but we did, and we did it. we are here to dedicate a building. but this place is more than a building. it is a dream come true. you and i, each and every one of us were caught up in a seed of light. we were born in the minds of veterans and their supporters. they met right here in washington dc in 1916. exactly 100 years ago. the 19th street baptist church, still in existence today. see what a dream can do. leaves -- those sleeves of the veterans, you might find the wounds and shackles on their backs, that most could not read the declaration of independence. burningheir hearts, the enduring vision for true , democracy. that no spirit or death could ever erase. they understood the meaning of their contribution. they set a possibility in motion. passing down through the ages from heart to heart and breath to breath. we are giving birth today to this museum as a testament to the dignity of the dispossessed in every corner of the globe who yearn for freedom. it is a song to the scholars and scribes, scientists and teachers, to the revolutionaries and voices of protest. to the ministers and officers of peace. it is a story of life, the story of our lives, wrapped up in a beautiful golden crown of grace. , i can hear the distant voice of our ancestors whispering. , "still a way home, we ain't got long to state y here." i woke up this morning with my mind standing on freedom. all of their voices roaming for centuries have finally found their home here in this great monument. our pain, are suffering -- our suffering, and our victory. i was a child growing up in rural alabama. a short walk to the cotton fields. hundreds of miles from washington, to the lincoln memorial, my teachers would tell us to cut out photographs of great african-americans. because it was negro history week, not african-american history month. i became inspired by the stories of george washington carver, jackie robinson, rosa parks and and -- others whose wife life and work were enshrined in this museum. as these doors open, it is my hope that each and every person who visits this beautiful museum will walk away deeply inspired with a greater respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. and a stronger commitment, to the ideals of justice and equality, and true democracy. thank you. [applause] [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, former first lady of the united states, mrs. laura bush. [applause] mrs. bush: i am thrilled to be here today. this is such a terrific day. on december 16, 2003, president george w. bush authorized the legislation for the establishment of a new smithsonian museum, the national museum of african american history and culture. [applause] when i toured the museum last week, we reminisced about those beginning days. the legislation had been authorized. the site has been secured. lonnie had been hired as the museum's director. i will never forget lonnie's poignant words when we considered the historic and cultural significance of what was to become. lonnie paused for dramatic effect, or so i thought, and then said what do we do now? , [laughter] lonnie, look what you have done. [applause] you and your team have truly achieved a monumental achievement. congratulations. our next speaker signed the legislation and a short the assured the museum's place on the national mall. my husband, president george w. bush. [applause] mr. bush: thank you all. thank you darling. [laughter] laura has been very much engaged in this museum for a long time. she sits on the board. we are honored to be here. my first reaction is that i hope all are fellow citizens come and look at this place. it is fabulous. [applause] mr. president and first lady, vice president, chief justice, david -- thank you very much. the board. i want to give a shout out to lonnie. it's really important to understand this project would not and could not have happened without his drive, his energy, and his optimism. [applause] as laura mentioned, 15 years ago members from both parties, john lewis, sam brownback, informs me they were about to introduce legislation creating a new museum to share the stories and celebrate the achievements of african-americans. it would be fair to say that the congress and i did not always see eye to eye. if you know what i mean, mr. president. [laughter] but this is one issue where we strongly agreed. i was honored to sign the bill. authorizing the construction of this national treasure. and i am pleased it stands where it has always belonged, on the national mall. [applause] this museum is important to our country for many reasons. here are three. first, it shows our commitment to truth. a great nation does not hide its history. it faces its flaws and corrects them. [applause] this museum tells the truth. that a country founded on the promise of liberty held millions in chains. the price of our union was america's original sin. from the beginning, some spoke to truth. john adams, who called slavery an evil of colossal magnitude -- their voices were not heeded and often not heard. but they were always known to empower greater than any honor on earth, they were meant to be free. second, this museum shows america's capacity to change. for centuries slavery and segregation seemed permanent parts of our national life. but not to nat turner, frederick douglas, rosa parks, or martin luther king jr. [applause] all answered cruelty with courage and hope. in a society governed by the people, no one lasts forever. -- wrong lasts forever. after struggle and sacrifice, the american people, acting through the most democratic of means, amended the constitution that originally treated slaves as 3/5th's person. to guarantee equal protection of the laws. after a decade of struggle, the civil rights act were finally enacted. even today the journey towards justice is not complete. but this museum will inspire us to go farther and get there faster. finally, the museum showcases the talent of some of our finest americans. the galleries celebrate not only african-american equality, but african-american greatness. i can't help but note -- [applause] i cannot help but note that a huge influence in my teenage years is honored here, the great chuck berry. [laughter] or my baseball idol growing up in far west texas, the great willie mays. and of course, something i've never really mastered, the ability to give good speech, but thurgood marshall sure could. [laughter] and some of you may know i have -- i am a fledgling painter. a struggling artist. [laughter] i have a new appreciation for the artists whose brilliant works are displayed here. people like charles austin. our country is better and more vibrant because of their contributions, and the contributions of millions of african-americans. no telling of american history is neither complete nor accurate without acknowledging them. the lesson of this museum is that all americans share a past and a future. by staying true to our principles, righting injustice, and encouraging the empowerment of all, we will be a better generation. i congratulate those who played a role in creating this wonderful museum. may god bless us all. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, stevie wonder. [applause] [applause] [cheering] stevie: thank you so very much. i have not seen it yet, but i am going to. [laughter] [applause] stevie: i was born blind. but i was blessed with a vision. and the vision seems to be all-knowing and feel -- and i know and feel that we must come together. this cannot go on. all of it, any of it, just can't go on. all of the back and forth, the hatred. trying to divide us as people of the united states of america. other countries getting involved in our business, no, it cannot go on. history has shown that we can rise. we can climb through all of these moments that should never define us. but remind us that we can come together. as we have, as we can, and as we will. as you climb the stairs of this magnificent testament, as you people a story of a , country, of a spirit, remember our strength. remember our courage. know that we must come together. we must come together. think about that. allas you think, i will ask of you one question. just one question, that only you can answer. my question is: where is our love song? ♪ >> ♪ where is our song of love ♪ not a song the love between you and me ♪ ♪ but between all of humanity song ♪ is our love ♪ we desperately need a song of love ♪ ♪ ♪ where are our words of hope? ♪ oh how we need the words of hope ♪ ♪ not the kind of hope that leaves others behind ♪ ♪ the kind of hope that lifts all of humankind ♪ ♪ desperately need words of hope ♪ ♪ ♪ we will have to sing them forevermore ♪ ♪ by ways and actions ♪ it's like you have never heard of them said before ♪ ♪ [harmonica] ♪ where are our words of hope? ♪ i waited so long for you to believe ♪ urban street,the but in every country ♪ ♪ our desperately needed prayer of peace ♪ ♪ not a love song between you and i ♪ ♪ but a song that will touch the universe to the heaven's eye ♪ ♪ ♪where is our love song? ♪ are desperately needed song of love? ♪ ♪ of peace for you and me for them themand us ♪ [applause] >> please welcome chancellor of the smithsonian institution and chief justice of the united states, john g. roberts junior. [applause] mr. roberts: thank you lonnie for scheduling me right after stevie wonder. [laughter] supreme court decisions such as dred scott versus stanford, dan brown versus board of education, documents shame and hope along the road to equal justice under law. this museum provides a place for us to learn what life was like for the brave individuals who brought those cases to the supreme court. you can see the tragedy of dred and harriet scott in the 1840's broadside, offering cash for the return of fugitive slaves. dred scott had traveled widely throughout the united states with his owner. he met and married harriet in what is now minnesota. they had two daughters. when his owner died, he tried to purchase his and his family's freedom with money she had -- he struggled his whole life to accumulate. but the owner's widow turned him down. only then did he turn to the courts, with the supreme court ruling that he and his family were not even persons under the constitution. you can see the bravery of homer edsey against the backdrop of the pullman railroad car on display. skinned man of mixed racial ancestry. that is how he was able to purchase a ticket from the whites only compartment. but when the conductor came to collect his ticket, homer plessy announced that under louisiana law, he was a black man. and he set in process the test case challenging jim crow laws. a test that the supreme court would fail. and you can grasp the wrenching dilemma facing all over and -- loyola brown in a photograph of five young african-american women outside their segregated school. how do you balance a hope for a better life for your 11-year-old daughter against real fear for her personal safety? but oliver and leola brown were people of strong faith. he was an assistant pastor at his church. together they made the choice to enroll in the in the whites only -- her in the whites only school. and together they changed the world. you can read the court's decision in dredd scott versus stanford, and plessy versus ferguson, and in brown versus board of education and learn what the court held. but if you want to know what those cases were about, you need to meet dred and harriet scott. plessy and oliver and leola brown. and you can do that in this museum. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, advisory council members for the national museum of african american history and culture. [applause] ken: this is a glorious day. on a personal level, i think i feel like many people here. i think of my parents. i think of my ancestors. quicks.of the clicks -- and they are more at peace today. [applause] distinguished guests and friends. it is an honor and privilege to stand with you today, like everyone who served on the advisory council, i feel a great sense of pride when i look at this magnificent building. and when i think about what it represents. to everyone at the smithsonian. to lonnie bunch and to his terrific team, i thank you for bringing this dream to reality. [applause] to the individual donors, to the foundations, and to the corporations who provided financial support -- i thank you. the doors will open here today because of the tremendous support that came from all americans, black, white, all colors, nationalities, and religions. rich and poor, the famous and the family next door. our calls for help were answered by so many because so many believed that this could be a museum for all americans. and you will not be disappointed. it captures by definition the history and culture of african americans. [applause] it will share stories of struggle and success. those who died for freedom and those who paved the way for others to follow. it will celebrate great achievements against great odds. it will remind us of the power of dreams and faith. it will caution us that more work lies ahead, and that the road will not be in easy one. but as a museum for all americans, it will also remind us that what brings us together is stronger than what keeps us apart. thank you. [applause] linda: our emotions today come not only from being official to -- officials that were lucky but from play a part, being the sons and daughters from those who came before us. thank our think -- brave ancestors inside this museum. in a more personal way, to thank our own families whose courage and tenacity settles on her way. -- set us on our way. my father left arkansas because there was no high school education, and few opportunities for him or his mother. they moved to chicago, where he was teased for his raggedy clothes, but his mind was ablaze with new ideas. such as, if white readers loved white magazines, wouldn't black readers like to read something about their own lives and aspirations? [applause] together with my mother they went on to create the most successful magazine devoted to black life, ebony and jet. [applause] they allowed us to see ourselves in ways we never had before. to make us proud of who we are, what we have done and can do. ,they showed a full cross-section of black america delivered by our best thinkers, , trendsetters, activists, celebrities, and next-generation leaders. more than just magazines, the y ignited conversations and become a catalyst for progress and pride. i am overwhelmed by what is happening here in the avenue of history. this strong magnificent building, and within it not just our stories of our struggles and challenges, but of the decades, the centuries of african-american contributions from all walks of life. today is a chance for me to share with my daughter and your family the rich legacy we all come from that has left a glorious imprint on the culture of america and on the world. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, oprah winfrey and will smith. [applause] [laughter] [applause] will: wave at them over there. oprah: hi everybody. the story of the african-american journey in their own words -- this is what they said. history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. - maya angelou. [applause] will: did you just challenge me to a poetry battle? langston hughes - what happens to a dream deferred? -- does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? or fester like a sore, then run? does it stink like rotten meat, or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? maybe it just sags like a heavy load. or does it explode? oprah: i have been in sorrow's kitchen. [laughter] and i licked out all the pots. and i stood on the mountain of rainbows with a heart in a sword in my hand. sometimes i feel discriminated against. but it doesn't make me angry, it merely astonishes me. how can anyone deny themselves the pleasure of my company? [laughter] it's beyond me. so wrote a writer in the harlem as or hurston -- z ora hurston. will: ok, that was a good one. i mean, that was hot. [laughter] wide eyes of blue, they are homegrown black music that acknowledged the tenuous nature of all human existence, a heroic response to what is called the human condition. we invented the blues. europeans invented psychoanalysis. [laughter] you invent what you need. albert murray wrote that. [laughter] [applause] oprah: okay, here's one of my favorites. toni morrison, the winner of the nobel prize for literature, said us. if there is a book you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must be the one to write it. toni morrison said that. then she wrote "bluest eye." will: yours are really hot. "change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes from continuous struggle. we must straighten our backs and work towards our freedom. a man cannot ride your back unless your back is bent." , so said martin luther king jr. [applause] ♪ >> ♪ i was born by the river [applause] and it just like the river ♪ lord, i am coming ♪ change will come ♪ ♪ oh yes it will ♪ it has been hard living ♪ but i am afraid to die there not know what is up beyond the sky ♪ ♪ it has been a long time coming ♪ ♪ but i know change is gonna come ♪ ♪ oh yes it will ♪ i go out to the movies ♪ go downtown me, friends keep telling don't hang around ♪ ♪ it has been a long, long time coming ♪ is gonnanow change come ♪ ♪ oh yes it is then i go to my brother's ♪ ♪ i said brother, help me please ♪ ♪ winds up know e cking me ♪ down onown on my, back my knees ♪ fall ♪i ♪ i wouldn't last for long ♪ ready to i think i'm carry on ♪ , at has been a long time long time coming ♪ change is gonna come ♪ hillary clinton. [applause] >> please welcome founding director of the national museum of african american history and culture, lonnie bunch. [applause] lonnie: thank you. thank you. [applause] lonnie: today, a dream too long deferred is a dream no longer. [applause] what a grand and glorious day to open a museum that will not just tell of a people's journey, but also the nation's story. it is hard for me to leave that believe that we are at this moment where we as a nation , will finally fulfill the expectations and hopes of so many generations who believed and labored for a presence on the national mall that would help all americans realize how much they have been shaped, informed, and made better by the african-american experience. we are here at this moment because of the commitment and support of so many of you here, and thousands of others, corporations and foundations who believed that the time had come for the creation of the national museum of african american history and culture. the diversity of the funding that has supported this endeavor speaks volumes about the generosity and goodwill of america. we are so moved by the more than 100,000 people who had become members of the museum who showed me their card to pay $25. i have to tell you, we are at this moment because of the backing of the u.s. congress and the white house. i cannot thank president obama and mrs. obama and mr. and mrs. bush enough for all you have done. [applause] truly took an institution to build the national museum. indebted to the smithsonian institution, whose leadership from former secretaries, to the current secretary have never wavered in their support of this museum. a crucial component that brought us to this moment is the staff of the museum. forgive the sports analogy, but they are the dream team. they are better than the 1961 yankees and the 1985 bears. [applause] you honor them by your presence today because they are the best. but i have to tell you, the foundation, the bedrock of this museum has been the council, our board of trustees. under the leadership of dick parsons and ken chenault, they have guided all aspects of the development. study -- steady a shaky director and use their considerable influence to ensure a successful campaign. i'd like to ask the council to stand and be recognized. [applause] without your effort, there would not be a museum. obviously others played a key role in this endeavor. the first was a presidential commission cochaired by robert wright and claudia brown, which established the blueprint for the museum. scholarlytial, the advisory committee chaired by the great john franklin, who provided much of the intellectual guidance for the museum. [applause] and i would be remiss if i did not acknowledge the architectural creativity behind us. [applause] from the smiths group collaboration. thank you. [applause] collaboration was created and benefited from leadership and the wonderful design. thank you so much for what you have given us. [applause] we are fortunate to have exhibits designed by our associates. but i want to thank all of the amazing workers, who in the process of construction, soon realized this was their building and history as well. i need to take a personal moment and thank my family so i can go home. [laughter] they have lived with every moment of this job for more than a decade. my mother is here. thank you mom. [applause] my wife maria, my daughters katie and sarah, my son in law, and the love of my life. thank you all so much. you mean a lot to me. recently i was asked by a journalist, did we really believe we could create a museum that had been in planning for more than a century? how could we not believe when we the reservoir that is african-american history? because the enslaved drink a world of freedom that once seemed impossible. because ella baker and fannie lou haymer faced an america that did not believe in them. how could we not believe when hearing the words of ida b wells, or malcolm, or martin? we had to believe because we had to believe in the audacity and beauty of jackie robinson's hope. and how could we not believe when hundreds of thousands of families trusted us with their artifacts? and their stories. we believed, because george w. bush says this museum must be on the national mall. thank you. [applause] and we believe because a senator from chicago told us, yes we can. [applause] but today is bittersweet for me. when i think about those who began the endeavor with us, but are no longer here. we miss them. but whenever i look at the museum, i don't simply see steel, glass, and concrete. i see the hope and strength of those that went before, and upon whose shoulders we stand. it is those memories that breathe life into this building. because when i look at this museum, i realize the clarion call to remember. to remember not just the well-known, but also those famous only to their families, whose lives in quiet ways shaped this nation. we remember so we can ponder the , pain of slavery, segregation, and second-class citizenry. but we also find the resiliency, the faith, hope, and joy that is so much a part of the african-american community. we remember to draw sustenance, inspiration, courage, from a people's commitment to help america, to challenge america to live up to its ideals. we remember not out of nostalgia need,ut of a country's especially today, for the contextualization and contemporary clarity from understanding and unvarnished history. and maybe, just maybe that , understanding can help america find healing and reconciliation. we remember so that all who encounter the museum will and -- will understand african-american history and realize just how central african-american history and culture is to america's sense of self. 11 years ago we began this track full of trepidation, and motivated by a desire to complete a journey that began 100 years ago. for 11 years, we have toiled for this day. but what kept us going was the way people stopped us on the street just to say thank you. two months ago i was standing on the corner just before sunrise. because i wanted to see how the building would look. there was an elderly man standing on the corner. when i turned his direction, he was bent over sobbing. was sick, and all he could say was that he lived long enough to see the birth of this museum. on behalf of that man, i thank you. because of your support for this museum. you have given two gifts. the first is a gift to america. thanks to your commitment and belief, we guaranteed that as long as there is an america, this museum will educate, engage, and ensure a four-story -- a story of america will be on the national mall. i am so honored to be a group of people that built this museum. thanks to you, i have had the time of my life. ultimately at this museum, we believe there is nothing more powerful than a people, then a nation steeped in its history. and there is nothing more noble than honoring all of our ancestors by remembering. so let me conclude by simply saying, welcome home. [applause] [applause] [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. [applause] pres. obama: thank you. thank you. james baldwin once wrote, "for while the tale of how we suffer and how we are delighted, and how we make triumph is never new, it always must be heard." while the tale of how we suffer and how we are delighted and how we make triumph is never new, it always must be heard. today, as so many generations have before, we gather on our national mall to tell an essential part of our american story. one that at times has been overlooked. we come not just for today, but for all time. president and mrs. bush, president clinton, vice president, dr. biden, secretary skorton, distinguished guests, thank you. thank you for your leadership in making sure this tale is told. we are here in part because of you, and because of all those americans. the civil war vets, the civil rights foot soldiers, the champions of this effort on capitol hill. who for more than a century kept the dream of this museum alive. it includes our leaders in congress, paul ryan and nancy pelosi, and includes one of my heroes, john lewis. [applause] who as he has so often, took the torch from those who came before him and brought us past the finish line. it includes the philanthropists and benefactors and advisory members who had so generously given not only their money, but their time. it includes the americans who offered up all of the family keepsakes tucked away and -- in grandma's attic. and of course it includes a man without whose vision and passions and persistence we would not be here today, mr. lonnie bunch. [applause] what we can see of this building, the towering glass, the artistry of the metalwork, is surely a sight to behold. but beyond the majesty of the building, what makes this occasion so special is the larger story it contains. below us this building reaches down 70 feet. its roots spreading far wider and deeper than any tree on this mall. and on its lowest level, after you walk past remnants of a slave ship, after you reflect on the immortal declaration that all men are created equal, you can see a block of stone. on top of this stone sits a historical marker weathered by the ages. that marker reads "general andrew jackson and henry clay spoke from this slave block during the year 1830." i want you to think about this. consider what this artifact tells us about history. about how it is told. and about what can be cast aside. on a stone where day after day, for years, men and woman were torn from their spouse or their child, shackled and bound and bought and sold and bid on like cattle, on a stone worn down by the tragedy of over 1000 bare feet. for a long time, the only thing we considered important, the singular thing we once chose to commemorate as history, with a plaque, were the unmemorable speeches of two powerful men. and that block i think explains why this museum is so necessary. because that same object, reframed, put in context, tells us so much more. as americans, we rightfully pass on the tales of the giants who built this country. who led armies into battle. who made seminal debates in congress and courts of power. but too often we have forgotten the stories of millions upon millions of others. who built this nation just as surely, whose humble eloquence, whose calloused hands, steady drive helped create cities, helped erect industries, build t the arsenals of democracy. and so this national museum helps to tell the richer and fuller story of who we are. it helps us better understand the lives, yes of the president, but also of the slave. the industrialist, but also the porter. the keeper of the status quo, but also the activists seeking to overthrow that status quo. the teacher or the cook alongside the statesman. and by knowing this other story, we better understand ourselves and each other. it binds us together. it reaffirms that all of us are americans. that african-american history is not somehow separate from our larger american story. it is not the underside of the american story. it is central to the american story. our glory derives not just from our most obvious triumphs, but how we rested triumph from tragedy. and how we have been able to remake ourselves again and again and again in accordance with our highest ideals. i too am american. the great historian john hope franklin, who helped to get this museum started, once said "good history is a good foundation for a better present and future." he understood the best history does not just sit behind a glass case. it helps us to understand what is outside the case. the best history helps us recognize the mistakes we have made and the dark corners of the human spirit that we need to guard against. and yes, a clear eyed view of history can make us uncomfortable. -- clear eyed view of history can make us uncomfortable. it will shake us out of familiar narratives. but it is precisely because of that discomfort we learn and grow and harness our collective power to make this nation more perfect. that is the american story this museum tells, one of suffering and delight. one of fear, but also of hope. of wandering in the wilderness and then seeing out on the horizon a glimmer of the promised land. it is in this embrace of truth, as best as we can know it, in the celebration of the entire american experience where real patriotism lies. as president bush just said, a great nation does not shy from the truth. it strengthens us. it emboldens us. it should fortify us. it is an act of patriotism to understand where we have been, and this museum tells the story of so many patriots. yes, african-americans have felt the cold weight of shackles and the stinging lash of the field whip, but we have dared to run north and sing songs from harriet tubman's hymnal. we have buttoned up our union blues to join the fight for our freedom. we have railed against injustice for decade upon decade, a lifetime of struggle and progress and enlightenment that we see etched in frederick douglass's mighty leonine on -- leonine gaze. this museum tells the story of a people who stood beside emmett till's coffin or fell to their knees outside stained glass windows where four little girls died, but it also tells the story of black and white youth, straight-backed, so full of dignity, on those lunch counter stools. the story of six-year-old ruby bridges, pigtails, fresh pressed dress, walking that gauntlet to get to school. tuskegee airmen soaring the skies, not just to beat a dictator, but to reaffirm the promise of our democracy and remind us that all of us are created equal. [applause] this is the place to understand how protest and love of country do not merely coexist, but inform each other. how men can proudly win the gold for their country, but still insist on raising a black-gloved fist. how we can wear an "i can't breathe" t-shirt and still grieve for fallen police officers. here is the america where the razor sharp uniform of the chief --staff belongs alongisde alongside the cape of the godfather of soul. we have shown we can float like butterflies, sting like bees, we can rocket into space like mae jemison and steal home like jackie, rock like jimmie, stir the pot like richard pryor, and we can be sick and tired of being sick and tired like fannie lou hamer, and still rocksteady like aretha franklin. we are large, walt whitman told us, containing multitudes. we are large. containing multitudes. full of contradictions. that is america. that's what makes us go. that's what makes us extraordinary. and as is true for america, so is true for the african-american experience. we are not a burden on america. or a stain on america. or an object of pity or charity for america. we are america. [applause] and that is what this museum explains. the fact that our stories have shaped every corner of our culture. the struggles for freedom that took place made our constitution a real and living document, tested and shaped and deepened and made more profound its meaning for all people. the story told here does not just belong to black america. -- black americans. it belongs to all americans. for the african-american experience has been shaped just as much by europeans and agents -- asians and native americans and latinos. we have informed each other. we are polyglot. a stew. scripture promised that if we lift up the oppressed, then our lights will rise in the darkness and our nights will become like the noonday. and the story contained in this museum makes those words prophecy. and that's what this day is about. that's what this museum is about. i, too, am american. it is a glorious story, the one that's told here. it is complicated and it is messy and it is full of contradictions, as all great stories are. as shakespeare is, as scripture is. and it is a story that perhaps needs to be told now more than ever. a museum alone will not alleviate poverty in every inner city or every rural hamlet. it won't eliminate gun violence from all of our neighborhoods or immediately ensure that justice is always colorblind. it won't wipe away every instance of discrimination in a job interview or a sentence -- sentencing hearing or folks trying to rent an apartment. those things are up to us. the decisions and choices we make. it requires speaking out and organizing and voting until our values are fully reflected in our laws and policies in our -- and our communities. but what this museum does show us is that even in the face of oppression, even in the face of unimaginable difficulty, america has moved forward. so this museum provides context for the debates of our times. it illuminates them and gives us some sense of how they evolved and perhaps keeps them in proportion. perhaps they can help a white visitor understand the pain and anger of demonstrators in places like ferguson and charlotte. but it can also help black visitors appreciate the fact that not only is this younger generation carrying on traditions of the past, but within the white communities across the nation we see the sincerity of law enforcement officers and officials who, in fits and starts, are struggling to understand and are trying to do the right thing. it reminds us that routine discrimination and jim crow are not ancient history. it is just a blink in the eye of history. it was just yesterday. and so, we should not be surprised that not all the healing is done. we should not despair that it is not all solved. and knowing the larger story should instead remind us how remarkable the changes that have taken place truly are, just in my lifetime. and thereby inspire us to further progress. so, hopefully this museum can help us talk to each other, and more importantly, listen to each other, and most importantly, see each other. black and white and latino and native american and asian-american, see how our stories are bound together and bound together with women in america and workers in america andentrepreneurs in america lgbt americans. and for young people who did not live through the struggles represented here, i hope you draw strength from the changes that have taken place. come here and see the power of your own agency. see how young john lewis was. [laughter] these were children who transformed a nation. in the blink of an eye. young people, come here and see your ability to make your mark. the very fact of this day does not prove america is perfect, but it does validate the ideas of our founding, that this country born on change, this country born of revolution, this country of we the people, this country can get better. that is why we celebrate. mindful that our work is not yet done. mindful that we are but on a waystation on this common journey towards freedom and how glorious it is that we enshrine it here on some of our nation -- nation's most hallowed ground. at the same place where lives were once traded, but also hundreds of thousands of americans of all colors and creeds once marched. how joyful it is that the story takes its rightful place alongside jefferson who declared our independence and washington who made it real and alongside lincoln who saved our union. and the g.i.'s defended it. alongside the new monument to a king gazing outward, summoning us towards that mountaintop. how righteous it is we tell the story here. for almost eight years, i have been blessed with the extraordinary honor of serving you in this office, and time and again -- [applause] president obama: time and again i have flown low over this mall on marine one, often with michelle and our daughters, and president clinton, president bush, laura, they will tell you, it is an incredible sight. you pass right across the washington monument. it feels like you can reach out and touch it. and at night if you turn the other way, you do not just see the lincoln memorial. old abe is lit up and you can see him, his spirit glowing from that building. and we don't have many trips left. but over the years, i have always been comforted as i have watched this museum rise from this earth into this remarkable tribute, because i know years from now, like all of you, michelle and i will be able to come here to this museum and not just bring our kids, but hopefully our grandkids, i imagine holding a little hand of somebody and tell them the story -- stories that are enshrined here and they will be able to do the same. and we will go to the lincoln memorial and we will take them to the washington monument and together we will learn about ourselves as americans. our sufferings, our delights, and our triumphs. and we will walk away better for it. better, because we better grasp the truth. we'll walk away that much more in love with this country, the only place on earth where this story could have unfolded. [applause] it is a monument no less than the others on this mall. to the deep and abiding love for this country and the ideals upon which it is founded. for, we, too, are americans. so, enough talk. president bush was timing me. he had the over/under at 25. [laughter] president obama: let us now open this museum to the world. today, we have with us a family that reflects the arc of our progress, the bonner family, for -- four generations in all, starting with gorgeous seven-year-old christine and going up to gorgeous 99-year-old ruth. [applause] ruth's father, elijah odom, was born into servitude in mississippi. he was born a slave. as a young boy, he ran, though, to his freedom. he lived through reconstruction and he lived through jim crow. but he went on to farm and graduate from medical school and gave life to the beautiful family we see today with a spirit reflected in beautiful christine. free and equal in the laws of her country and in the eyes of god. so, in a brief moment, their family will join us in ringing a bell from the first baptist church in virginia, one of the oldest black churches in america, founded in 1776 in a grove of trees. and the sound of this bell will be echoed by others in houses of worship all across this country, an echo of the ringing the bells that signaled emancipation more than a century and a half ago, the sound and the anthem of american freedom. god bless you. god bless the united states of america. [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ [bell ringing] [applause] [bell ringing] [applause] [cheers and applause] [bells ringing] [bells ringing] [bells ringing] [bells ringing] lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring ring with the harmonies of liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let it resound loud as the rolling sea god of our weary years god of our silent tears thou who hast brought us thus far on the way thou who hast by thy might led us into the light keep us forever in the path we pray lest our feet stray from the places our god, where we met thee lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand true to our god true to our native land >> please join in and sing. >> ♪ lift ev'ry voice and sing till earth and heaven ring ring with the harmonies of liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let it resound loud as the rolling sea sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun let us march on till victory is won ♪ [applause] >> this concludes the dedication ceremonies for the national museum of african american history and culture. please stay in your seats. our staff will notify you when it is time for your group to approach the museum and enter. thank you. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] >> you are watching american history tv. follow us on twitter. "ron american history tv's fight," aa," "why we series of films created during world war ii, created by director frank capra. the films were intended to explain to the troops the reasons behind the war effort, but work eventually shown -- but were eventually shown to the american public as well. includes details of events that led to america's involvement in world war ii. it takes a critical look at isolationists and america's early reluctance to join were accurate -- to join the war effort and culminates in the attack on pearl harbor.

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