President delivers opening speech at new black history museum

temitope a

September 26, 2016 8:39 AM

The National Museum of African American History had its grand opening ceremony on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

President Obama

After taking many years to be completed, the National Museum of African American History finally opened its doors to the public on September 24.

President Barack Obama delivered a very powerful speech at the event that officially declared the Smithsonian museum open.

The project had taken over a century to achieve as the idea was first proposed back in 1915 by the black veterans of the Civil War who wanted to preserve the memory and history of the negro soldiers.

In 2003, former president George Bush, who was also in attendance with his wife, signed legislation that granted the project authorization.

Obama, the seasoned orator, gave a passionate and powerful speech at the event. He said of the museum, "This national museum helps to tell a richer and fuller story of who we are, It helps us better understand the lives of yes, the president, but also the slave. The industrialist but also the porter. The keeper of the status quo but also the activist seeking to overthrow that status quo."

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Of the thousands of artifacts on display at the museum, Obama centered his speech around one block of stone- the auction block.

"You can see a block of stone, on top of this stone seats a historical marker, weathered by the ages. And that marker reads 'General Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay, spoke from the slave block during the year 1830.' I want you to think about this. Consider what this artifact tells us about history. About how its told and about what can be cast aside."

He continued, "On a stone where day after day, for years, men and women were torn from their spouse or their child, shackled and bound and bought and sold and bid like cattle. On a stone worn down by the tragedy of of over a thousand 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."

The lengthy and powerful speech was indeed touching, the president himself was moved to tears as he recounted the history of his enslaved ancestors. Michelle, the first lady, also shed a tear or two.

After the speech, the usual practice of cutting a ribbon was ditched and a bell was rung instead. The bell, called the 'Freedom bell' is from the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the first black churches, founded around 1886.

Also in attendance were former president Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden and Chief Justice Roberts as well as black celebrities such as Steve Wonder, Patti LaBell, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, David Oyelowo and others.