Us on facebook at the spent history cspan history. History tv is joining our Cable Partners to showcase the history of grand rapids, michigan. To learn more about the cities on the tour, visit cspan. Org cities to work. We continue to look at the history of grand rapids. We are at the Gerald R FordResidential Museum in grand rapids, michigan. He is beginning his professional career. It is not clear even to him, because at the same time that he is establishing hislop rectus he is applying to become a field agent for the f ei. He wants to be a gman. He is writing letters and toward the end of 1941, trying to figure out what the status of his application is. Himself, along with america, caught up with world affairs, when the japanese bond pearl harbor. There after he shifts his attention to the navy. He wants to become a naval officer area he sends in his application to be commissioned as an officer in the navy but april 1942 and he joins the navy. Annapolis down to cap where he goes through an officer Training Program then in North Carolina as an athletic officer training pilots in physical activity. He grows bored with that quickly. Almost as quickly as he is down there, he is writing letters to people he knows in washington dc , he is fortunate to find a person who can help them. He gets assigned to an Aircraft Carrier that is being built. The u. S. Monterey or monterey. Ford is responsible for putting the sailors through calisthenics. He is the athletic officer aboard this it. Officerso the gunnery grade he has a responsibility for gun crews on the aft end of the ship. They get to the pacific in late 1943 and almost immediately are thrown into action against the gilbert islands. He will be involved in action against the japanese in the gilberts and the marshall islands, along the philippine coast. The ship will earn eight house stars. Battle opportunity arises for him to become the assist did assistant navigator. He has earned a reputation as a valid officer and he is given that responsibility by the captain. Which means that he moves from the fan tail of the ship up to the command bridge of the ship. His general order station is now on the ships tower on the command ridge as the officer of the deck, he stands alongside the captain and navigator of the ship. In his own words now in the center of the action. Combatds as much time in in the pacific with this ship as any other world war ii president we have. ,e earns eight battle stars they are in a number of supporting, they are mc arthurs landing in the philippines, it is during that activity in december of 1944 where he comes close to losing his life. Ship is caught up in a typhoon and he is almost washed overboard. He is able to recover himself by the thinnest of means, his foot catches a rail along the side as he is sliding on the deck. He is able to throw himself onto a catwalk and then together himself and make his way to his general orders station. As the ship is burning it has to return to the port to fix the damage. 1944, he is day, detached from the ship and is sent to the states where he becomes an athletic officer training pilots in chicago in the Naval Training center north of chicago. Isis there that he end us naval career. He returns to grand rapids at that point and picks up his or her personal career there. He is involved in a number of civic activities. His name is well known in grand rapids. His father is involved in the ,epublican party, he then having been bitten by the political love long ago having worked in wendell wilkies 1940 cap name, turns his attention to politics. He joins a long term that gets him gives him permission to pursue his political interest. This involves challenging the is ang congressman, who isolationist. Gerald ford has left his isolationism behind with the war. He has become an international is. It will be this that is the separating point between him and the other candidate. Ford, not wanting to draw attention to himself what being ambitious, approaches Civic Leaders and asks them about challenging him. Interested,as not but if youre interested we would probably support you. Or even as he is trying to enlist other people to do the job that he wants. With their support and with the support of the grand rapids press, he throws his hat into menring, challenges young as gerald ford is campaigning for congress in 1948, he met a woman by the name of betty blumer warren. He has become interested and they become an item. She was an native of grand rappers or she grew up in an upper middle class home, attended central high school. She was born in 1918. She knew gerald ford, the High School Star athlete growing up but she never met him before. They did not need each other until 1947. They were introduced at a party. She was working as a fashion for a Department Store, one of the Big Department stores in downtown grand rapids. She started there as a model. She modeled dresses in the tea room and young women would model dresses for the older women. She was one of those models and she studied in vermont and new dance. R modern she came back to grand rapids, married a salesman by the name in 1947,arren and shes in the midst of securing a divorce from mr. Warren. She is introduced to gerald ford and jerry is quite interested. That evening after the party he calls her up and invites her out for a drink. Shes angry because she is campaign for ad her Department Store so she has work to do. Also she said you should know better to call me up because i am in the middle of a divorce. He said dont worry about it, i know a place that is out of the way and we can go and have ride the drink. He persuades her to do that. Then they become something of an item. And betty are married in october, 1948. It was an announcement that was put off for a while because he was running for congress. He didnt want to get married until october because he wanted to handle the primary. He wins the election and they are off to establish a home in washington. By 1950, they had their first outcome of michael then jack and 1957, susan 19 arrives. By 1957 they have four children at home as ford is moving up in the leadership ranks with increasing responsibility on Capitol Hill Area the kids recall that when their dad was home, that he set the briefcase aside and he was a father for them. He took them fishing, teaches the boys how to use the lawnmower and do things around the house, takes Family Vacations with them. And go on skiing trips, back to grand rapids, they have the grandparents there in washington on occasion. In many respects, it is a typical middleclass experience, expects that their dad increasingly has building responsibilities on capitol hill. This is his congressional desk from early in his career. The items on top of that are original to his Congressional Office, the desk was a congressional desk he used in his grand rapids office. As the onethe same he would use in his Congressional Office and washington dc. Gerald ford as a congressman enters congress in 1949, launching on his new career. His ambition became not for the presidency, but he wanted to become the speaker of the house. An office he never was never able to attain. He has a fascinating career. 25 years in Congress Beginning america. N postwar some of those critical moments of postwar america he is right there at the cutting edge of them. He is introduced to president truman, he is on the public works committee. He oversees the maintenance of federal buildings. One of those buildings is the white house. The white house is crumbling around president tumor truman. So ford oversees a lot of the construction around the white house. He is also trying to build a cold war strategy. That, ford is involved in in this internationalist congressman from grand rapids gains an important seat on the appropriations committee. He oversees the armys budget. In the cold war strategy as he travels from base to base, looking at american your and around southeast asia. He was a republican on capitol hill. He is engaged in parts of the struggle. He is interested in republican holocene is. Policies. You have to find a way to Work Together and ford earned a reputation as somebody who could work with both sides of the aisle. There were times when he challenged his republican leadership, and there were times when he told democrats into what were republican issues, to further legislation on the hill. Politicssued partisan in a leadership position as reading able to work with others in the democrat party. Head in 1964. Ur following the assassination of president kennedy. President johnson pulled together a commission to investigate the assassination of president kennedy which would take the name of the war in commission. Lyndon johnson reached into the congressional pull and pluck to members of congress to sit on the commission. Two members of the house of representatives. One was gerald ford. He had thatse reputation of being able to Work Together with people of differing ideas, to reach reasonable conclusions. He was one of the seven warren commissioners. After he completes that he and another man by the name of jack stiles worked on a book called a portrait of the assassin. Firmly in the commissions finding at least Harvey Oswald had acted alone as the loan gunman. There was no evidence that was brought to the commission that would refute the finding. He remains open to other evidence that might prove otherwise that might counter that opinion. During his lifetime he never saw could show that it was lee Harvey Oswald alone who acted as the assassin of resident kennedy. He is earning his reputation through hard work, not a piece of legislation that he is known for. He is known for being able to move legislation, to craft the coalitions necessary to get legislation passed. Its that reputation that moves him forward in con stations conversations about leadership. He announced a campaign against and by a narrow margin can defeat him and become the minority leaders self. He wants to become a majority party. In 1966, he makes strides in doing that on capitol hill. To gain ar able majority of republicans on capitol hill. He is locked in the minority position, the republicans cannot find a way to build a National Majority position on capitol hill that would have secured for become mpression to his ambition to become speaker of the house. Richard nixons election, he is selected spirit avenue as his running mate. In aare reelected in 1972 landslide election. It barely moves the needle for the republicans on capitol hill. Ford after the election decides he is going to run one more time retire from he will congress. History intervenes with that. Agnew has to step down as Vice President because of malfeasance in office as governor of maryland. , contractme bribes issues, obstruction of justice for things not related at all to watergate. Agnew has to step down. Nixon is able, through the provisions of the 32nd amendment to nominate somebody to replace spiro agnew but requires confirmation of both the senate and the house of representatives. Gerald ford is a natural selection. He is not nixons first choice, but he is a solid choice for Richard Nixon. Gerald ford, because of his coalition and reputation on capitol hill is an easy selection. Carl albert tells Richard Nixon, i can get you jerry ford. Nixon makes that choice and ford goes through an extended investigation background information. There ise is selected, this whirlwind of controversy surrounding Richard Nixon and over the matter of watergate. Nefarious activities that have taken place during the 1972 election and before involving secret tapes, bucking opposition offices, and a number of other issues that many people believed the president himself have been involved in. What nixon was involved in was obstructing the investigation into it. Investigated. Ing there are a number who believe they are not choosing the next vice resident but the next president of the united states. President next and nominates gerald ford to full the vacancy for vice residency. Over 400 fbi agents spread out to investigate congressman ford. He passes the investigation, the results are handed to congress. Congress schedules of vote on his nomination. This is the card that speaker of the house carl albert hands to jerry ford, noting the house of work, voting ends 35 opposing. There was another vote that was held in the senate and only three senators voted against his nomination. Congressman ford in december 1973 is sworn in as Vice President. This is the bible with which he is sworn in. He he has it open to his favorite passage, the passage that he and betty had leaned on most of their lives. Trust in the heart trust in the lord with all your heart and he shall direct your paths. He will have the bible open to the same passage when he is sworn in as president. Know is the controversy is swirling around nixon andx and and his responsibility is to forward nixons agenda and promote his policies abroad. He spends the entirety of this on the road traveling, away from washington, promoting that message and camp meeting for nixons agenda. We covered for galleries in the museum dealing with his early ,ife, his collegiate career maybe in congress the remainder of the museum is dedicated to his presidency and his postpresidency. I hope the visitors are able to take away from here what a unite time it was and what a unique man ford was and how he was able to say take the challenge. He never aspired to become president. Events andhis life people he encountered prepared him for the burden that he was asked to bear in august, 1974 when he became president , an office he never campaigned for, never aspired to but one which was handed and interested to him by those who knew him closest, most on capital hill. How heble to appreciate rose to handle the responsibilities. This weekend we are featuring the history of grand rapids, michigan together with our Cable Partners. Learn more about grand rapids and other cities on the citys tour. Youre watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend on cspan3. The Smithsonian Museum of african American History opens to the public saturday, september 20, remarks by founding director and secretary david scorch and inside the new Oprah Winfrey theater. We will be locked from the museum on sat this museum explores our National Identity through a particular lens reflecting the Life Experiences over time of africanamericans. Illustrateds through artifacts and works of art, the voices and writings, through courage and determination, through innovation and leadership, comprised of eloquent and powerful narrative. Central to our National Identity. The idea to establish an institution devoted to wascanAmerican History first suggested by black civil war veterans a century ago. Herbert hoover proposed commemorating their contributions to history and science. It has to await the 21st century before planes actually took shape. In 2003, Congress Passed legislation to make the museum a reality as part of these missoni and family. We are grateful to president obama and congress for providing ongoing support and establishing the museums counsel, which has offered guidance and encouragement over the months and years it took to get to this day. This plan comes at a significant type history for the smithsonian, and for our country. Advanceenable us to james smiths democratic mandate to increase the diffusion of knowledge, a more eloquent and farreaching ways that our founding benefactor could ever have imagined. Uniquelysonian is a American Institution comprising 19 museums, established at key points in our 170 year history. The inauguration of our newest museum occurs as race and cultural differences dominate the natural discourse. This museum can be an ideal Gathering Place to learn, to hold conversations, to be inspired, and to be uplifted. The smithsonian can, and i believe should provide a form for discussions relevant to our mission, especially when these can shine a light of history and culture of the public we serve. Is true of the African American museum of history and culture, and true of other museums, centers, and initiatives. Century arehe 21st dynamic learning institutions that use the exceptional power of art and artifacts to evoke feelings, teach, and energize people. And in a time of great cynicism and distrust of so many establishments of the press, and even of government libraries and museums remain among the most trusted sources of information in our country. Frequently i visit our museums on my own without my id that is tother visitor id badge view exhibits. You can see people appear to change, especially young people, as they explore an exhibition and light up with a spark of recognition. Museums have the capacity to theh lives and transform way people see the world and interact with each other. Museums of the smithsonian are all working to share the treasures we care for in thoughtprovoking and engaging ways. And the newest member of our family, the National Museum of african American History and culture, is setting the bar even higher for the Visitor Experience across the smithsonian. Opening now in a time when social and political discord remind us that racism is not unfortunately a thing of the past this museum and i believe will help advance the public conversation. It was in 1863 when frederick the relation between the white and colored people of this country is the great paramount imperative and oakland in question for this age and nation to solve comparative for this age to solve. It is time to honor the words of this statement this states man who became his life as a slave. It reminds us to be a beacon of what we were, what challenges we still face, and point us towards what we can become. From its extraordinary design representing, openness, strength and hope to its collection, the building stands at a crossroads of the past and the future. I was areall objects donated by people eager to share parts of the history with the public. It is the only one of her buildings, including the castle, constructed without a preexisting collection. As you will soon see. The objects contained within these walls are as diverse as the People Associated with them. Some, like the glass top coffin till may of emmitt make you angry or move you to tears. Others like chuck berrys cadillac may make your spirit lift. These documents represent a country that is complicated and ever evolving. But many people that owned, used, saved, and gave us these objects emerged through them, as do the artists that create paintings, sculpture, and other works on display. It is they who made this museum a reality. And on behalf of the smithsonian and the public we serve, we are deeply honored to, ungrateful for and grateful for them. The enormous cost of the project became apparent as this took shape. Half of the funding required to construct the building was provided through federal appropriations. The remainder needed to be raised from private sources and from the outset, the outpouring of Financial Support has been generous and moving. Organizations of all kinds have joined in the effort, from major corporations and foundations, to Church Groups and scout troops. The number of individual supporters is especially astonishing. There are people who wrote checks for 1 million or more. Those who contributed whatever they could from one dollar upwards. To date more than 100,000 people have come aboard as members. This is a record for the smithsonian. We are deeply grateful to each of them, and all of those who recognize the importance of this museum and its role in the life of the country. 2005, work on this project seriously got underway with the appointment of a director. Lonnie is an esteemed educator, and a scholar. And must have known the challenges ahead of creating a museum from stem to stern. But he did not link. Not blink. In 11 years he led efforts to destruct this aweinspiring building. Envision and develop the interpretive plan for the museum, and lead the campaign to fund it. Perhaps the most challenging task he oversaw was creating the collection, an initiative that required an awareness effort, considerable travel and research. Putalong the way, he together an incredible staff. A group of talented, both, smart Museum Professionals that you will get to know beginning today. It is my honor to introduce the person who did make the any other to National Museum of african American History and culture a reality, its something director lonnie bunch. Thank you. [applause] lonnie this is the first time i have seen people in here. This is pretty cool. [laughter] david, since so much for your leadership and the kind words. There is no way this would happen without the kind of leadership. You and others have given us know thatre that we the smithsonian was with us every step of the way. Thanks so much david. It is hard for me to remember, but 11 years ago we really did start this as a staff of two. No collections. We had no idea where the site of the museum wednesday. Money,to raise a lot of but we did not know where we would get that money from. All we knew is that we had a vision. A vision that we wanted to help all the museum to remember. The rich history of the africanamerican. Say that you must save the unvarnished truth. Felt it was crucial to craft a museum that would help america to remember and confront it. Racial past. Tortured racial past. While we do think america should ponder the pain of slavery and segregation, it also has to find the joy and hope and resiliency, the spirituality that was endemic in this community. In essence the goal was to find that tension between moments of tears and moments of great joy. But we also knew that remembering was not enough. Buteeded to craft a museum when he is the history and culture of the Africanamerican Community as a lens to better understand what it meant to be an american. The goal was to hold all regardless of race or ethnicity realize how profoundly affected we are as americans by the africanamerican experience. Thatny ways we discovered the africanamerican experience is the quintessential american experience. It helps us understand our notions of optimism, our notions of liberty, or notions of citizenship. We realized this is a story for us all, not just one community. We wereknew that standing on the shoulders of other museums, large and small. Africanamerican and not. Two had done so much of the work, that allowed us to make this vision real. We felt it was crucial that we had to be a place of collaboration, that we had to encourage visitors to come to washington, but to go back and explore how cultures were explored at the Studio Museum of harlem, or the california africanAmerican Museum. It was crucial that we were part of a National Network of museums that cared about the past. I have to tell you i am so pleased to welcome you here today. , or as we call it, americas front yard, tries to fulfill the dreams of so many generations who believed that ifrica would be made better it grappled with the africanamerican experience. I am so pleased to welcome you this signature building created by the team of the smiths group, a group that was led until his death by max von, and the building was in the mind of its gifted lead designer. Architectsf the stand for me right now . [applause] what i love is that this building is informed by africa, but also shaped by the design of its slaved craft people, who created so much of the beautiful are in charleston and new orleans. But its an portable number that this building does not simply look back, but rather it looks to the future by being the First Sustainable lead growth building in the wall. Crucially important. The architects allowed us to do that. This is a place that revels in the past, but is playing us towards a future. I am happy to invite you to explore the amazing exhibitions that take us through the history and culture of america through this lens. The result of a collaboration between 50 to curators and gifteds on our staff curators and scholars on our staff, and the amazing expertise provided by our designers. Of losingthis moment group of people. Of an Amazing Group of people. These are people that for more than a decade gave their time. Bushes, colin powells, countless others, who said this story is important enough, as long as you need. What they did was provided amazing guidance. They use their considerable influence to meet and exceed our fundraising goals. But they did more than that. They helped us believe that we could do this. There was a meeting that i remember when the economy was going bad and fundraising was ken looked around the room and said lonnie, dont worry, look at these people, we dont fail. They gave us their competence and time to make this work and i will never forget that. We are at this moment because it actually takes an institution to birth to birth the National Museum. I cannot express how much we appreciate the support of the regions and the Senior Leadership because they made this endeavor possible. Leadership is the key. From the secretary adams to secretary small and now secretary scored in. Has neverution wavered in its support of the museum. It was and has been the number one priority. But we are also, at this moment, because of thousands of individuals and corporations and businesses who suspended rules and doug deeply into the pockets to give the museum the support, money, collections that it needed to tell the story. I have to be honest. All these people came together and said we will give, whether it is money or whether it is our own story, to the collection that we will give you. What that made us realize is that the time is now for the museum. And we are at this moment because of the bipartisan support of congress. I know it is not something you always hear but we did receive to the support of the current congressional leadership, this has really been an example of america at its best. Of people of different races and different political points of to crafting together, something that they believe could make america better. Thatinally, i have to say i need to ignore knowledge that we have one of the most gifted staffs i have ever worked with. That, in some ways, this is like the 1961 yankees. These folks can play. You, led by the Deputy Director stand up, director stand up, stand up. [applause] few will ever know the sacrifices and work that they have it in but they will know because what they have done is something that my youngest daughter described she said, once they finish the building, it means that this building will be available for the public to engage with history as long as there is an america. Ultimately, this museum looks back, helps contextualize where at what ad hints future can be. Can maybe even help us find reconciliation and healing. But in some ways, we believe so strongly in the words that james walden wrote in 1955. The past is all that makes the present coherent. Is an amazing moment and i thank you so much for being with us. Thank you. [applause] this, im seeing really not seeing this. But yeah, thats good. [laughter] [applause] as you were. [laughter] the smithsonians National Museum of african American History and culture opens its doors to the public for the first time next saturday, september 24. American history tv will be live from the National Mall starting at 8 00 a. M. Eastern with sights and sounds leading up to the Opening Ceremony and we will be live with the dedication which includes remarks from president obama and the Founding Museum director. This is American History tv, only on cspan3. The smithsonian National Museum of african American History and culture opens its doors to the public for the first time next saturday, september 24. American history tv will be live on the National Mall starting at 8 00 a. M. Eastern with sights and sounds leading up to the 10 00 a. M. Opening ceremony. Before the museums ground museums founding director gave American History tv eight war of the Museum Storage facilities. He showed us several artifacts from the museums collection. Right now, we are in the Storage Units of the National Museum of african American History and culture. In essence, this is the heart of the museum. Because what is behind me and what we will see today are many of the objects that are going to be the sole of the museum. So this is an opportunity to preview some of the materials that the public will see when the museum opens its doors. One of the things that is crucially important, as you will much of theso museums time and resources are spent on caring of the photo collections. Experts who know how to preserve and make sure that this material will be with us for generations. And we have opened the storage unit and we have been coming into this wonderful piece of headgear. This is boxing headgear worn by muhammad ali. Ways,know, in many mohammad ali started his career as a boxer but then he transformed himself into a cultural and political leader. And we all know the story of his 1960 asal in rome in heavyweight champion. But what was clear is that he became a symbol of unrest in america when he began to claim both his blackness and his desire to campaign against the war in vietnam. This piece of equipment was crucial to mohammed alis career and for us to have this, it allows us to view him from many different lenses. Is where he trained early in his career. One of the things that is so important is to realize how much goes behind the scenes. In making a museum work. And in this case, the we started from scratch, i dont think we have to held a collection and find the material, and we also have to build a system to protect it and track it and then build the system that will allow us to exhibit it. So it really is a long, complicated process that takes many years to complete. What happens when you try to build a museum is the notion of getting these collections, and so one of these challenges is the variety of ways to do this. It wasn my career, pretty easy and people felt the desire to give to the smithsonian. Then, as times changed, these things became a commodity. Hollywoodlywood and cafe. People began to see these as ways to make money. So we have a variety of ways to make a collection. We still have people who we court and talk to about donating materials to the smithsonian. Andlso have people who call say, ive got this cool thing, do you want it . Sometimes it is cool and sometimes it is a copy but we have to be careful about what happens because often when you create a museum, you are so embraces that 40 years later, you have material you dont need so we are really trying to be careful with what we collect. And you also go out to an auction and purchase things that are really rare. And what we try to do is limit that. Civil war eraget material or slavery material. Sometimes it is hard to get fine the goal is to have a variety of mechanisms that allows us to build this collection. One of the joys of the process is realizing what is out there. There many things you want, that you hope to find, but you are convinced you will never find it. Twot now we are looking at artifacts that i was convinced didnt exist. These are materials that are related to Harriet Tubman. The great abolitionist and underground railroad constructionist. What you are looking at is a shawl that was given to Harriet Tubman by the Queen Victoria of england as a way to honor her resiliency and what i love is that not only to be get this from a collector, but he gave us this gospel hymnal. This is one that Harriet Tubman owned. If you remember when Harriet Tubman would go south, often to alert the enslaved that it was time to go, she would sing various criminals. Various hymnals. Ing low, sweet chariot she could not read, but the fact that she carried this hymnal is a powerful piece. It seems to me that this museum has to tell one of the most painful stories in america, the story of enslavement. There are few things as powerful as a shackle. These the kinds of shackles that were used during the period of enslavement. What people forget is that slavery is also about control. And trying to course people do unpaid labor. What we want to do is interpret slavery both as a system that helped the country economically and as a system that was shaped by the people who lived it. But also recognizing that the enslavement of people continues to shape american identity to this day. Special is a really artifact, much like the Harriet Tubman material. This is a bible that we think was owned by nat turner. Nat turner was in enslaved african that led a revolt in 1831. He led what was considered the largest slave revolt. When nat turner was eventually captured, he had a sword and his bible. The fact that this was passed on the families and eventually donated to us is a powerful artifact that allows us to tell a story often left out, the nd desirerebellion a for freedom at all cost. What is interesting about a museum is that on the one hand utilities great stories, but on the other hand you want to personalize it. Document, thele piece of paper that is hard to read. It is a bill of sale for a young pollyyoung woman named that was sold from one person to another in the 19th century. What i think is so powerful is to recognize on the one hand, this is a legal document. On the other hand, this is the story of a people. For us to be able to personalize slavery through things like this mean that we are can be able to help the public not just understand, but care. This is one of the prize objects we have. The story of africanamericans and revolution is often rarely told. This is a powderhorn that was carved by an enslaved african named prince simbo. He lived in glastonbury connecticut and fought in the American Revolution from 17781872. What is powerful is because he carved it, we know a lot about him. On the other side is this amazing symbol. Dove, and in the mouth is the word liberty. The notion of an enslaved african being the person to help define what liberty means in america is an important piece for us. This will be one of those rare things people will be surprised to see. Keeping with this military experience the, one thing we know is that i remain is that africanamericans used the military as a way to prove their worth. This was never more true than during the civil war. What you see here are two aberrant types of civil war soldiers. Two types of civil war soldiers. 1863, thousands of African Americans became soldiers in the union army. You can see they had these images taken, part as a way to document, but also to symbolize the private from being enslaved, or the read and it discriminated, defined for your freedom. What is interesting are the Little Things you find. We have an amber type of this corporal sergeant. There were also informal id badges made during the civil war. This is his little badge that talks about his name. The fact that we have an image, the badge, allows us to personalize these stories. Because of the story of the africanamerican experience is a broader story, one of those choices artifacts like this. Carried by ank officer of the 55th massachusetts. Regiments were segregated, but the officers tended to be white. This chunk was owned by george garrison, who was the son of the abolitionist William Lloyd garrison. Received he served as an offer in the companion unit to the more famous 54th massachusetts. Being able to tell the full richest on the story allows us to do that. Not only is it historically significant, but to use the scholarly term, pretty cool. Thinking about army life, what you could have here, in essence you put all of who you are your belongings including. Belongings and clothing. This will help people understand what life was like during the civil war era. This story is both a story of resilience to resiliency, achievement, but also of struggle. One of the hard parts of exploring this history is that often the people who were at the worst tended to be other americans. That makes it hard to interpret. Americans are not used to being the bad guys. One thing that is powerful is objects like this, that convey the strong antiblack sentiment. This is a ku klux klan banner for the 1920s. Nights of thethe ku klux klan. It began after the civil war. It goes underwhelmed it goes underground and bursts a new after the film the birth of a nation. It becomes a National Phenomenon in the 1920s and 1930s. This kind of banner is the thing people could use and celebrate their investment and participation in the ku klux klan. These are the things we have to tell the painful stories as well. Then what is interesting to me so much ofnize that what she is a community is work. To give people an understanding of the way black america work. Often a story not clearly understood is the story of the Pullman Porters. This is a wonderful hat. Pullman porters were seen in a stereotypical way, as people who only served, who worked on the railroad to make the travel of the elite White Community comfortable. But they played more an Important Role than that. They were sometimes the community of heart of the Africanamerican Community. They began to bring to different regions of the country and understanding of what was going on in the south. The beginning was the earliest black unions. They became one of the earliest black unions. They were successful in establishing a pattern that many africanamerican businesses would follow in the future. The Pullman Porter is a story of both work, the limits of what people could do as africanamericans, will also help people transited to the limits of their job and created a way to help the entire community and in some ways, the whole notion of struggling against racism, battling segregation, is really at the heart of trying to understand this story. These two artifacts speak volumes segregation. On the one hand we have something that was ubiquitous throughout the 20th century, which were colored drinking fountains. That thet were insured separation of races were in force. As we know that segregation was the law of the land throughout the 19th century and 20th century colored theaters, colored hotels, drinking fountains were part of the way america lived. Whats so fascinating is that they are hard to find. What moves me is looking at the depths one went to segregate america. This charityful is hospital in independence, louisiana. What i love about this is that this tells you clearly that race matters when you look at the schedule of actual hospital services. On monday, the colored could go to the gynecologist. But on tuesday, it was white that could go for pediatrics or internal medicine. On wednesday, whites to their gynecologists or had dental services. The notion that we were so rigidly segregated that hours of the day were determined on the basis of your skin is one of the most powerful objects we have collected. This was one month 100 years old. Usedis an object that was from the mid1950s until whichre came in, desegregated many hospitals. We want people to realize segregation, while it has long roots, was not that long ago. One of the things we want to one of theis that most interesting things about American History is the struggle to make america live up to its stated ideals. The notion of people of all races coming together to say, we want to make america a different place. Something we collected is from an early worker, and during her time in the south she would collect these buttons and badges that speak volumes of the 1960s. You have buttons that say freedom and now from the congress of racial equality. Weresupport sitins, the student not coordinating via student nonviolent coordinating committee. This really tells you about the kind of optimism and hope. There are a lot of buttons of black and white hands together. The notion that we would be able to transcend the kind of discrimination that existed. There isng carefully, a button upside down on this coat, which is a white button that says never. This was a button that many ardent segregationist carried to wouldear that never blacks dominate twice. In addition to being part of snick, joan brought us one of the most moving things that we have. Broken pieces of glass. These are materials that were collected at the funeral of the four black girls killed in september of 1963 in the Birmingham Church bombings. Joan mulholland and many other workers were there. Fromollected these charts stainedglass windows of the baptist church. And in the street with a shotgun shell. Shards speak she values about broken lives, but volumes about the use of violence to control and to battle racial integration. In some ways something as simple as this speaks volumes to our audience. And violence is such a part of understanding this. This is a button but the celebration of the life of Martin Luther king. These were produced after king was assassinated in april of 1988. In some ways this gives the way their to symbolize commitment to racial change, but remember the mars life of Martin Luther king. Is challenge of the 1960s the transformation of america and its vision. Is it a vision of an integrated world . User division of nonviolent sitins, or were there more alternative visions . One of the most one of the most important was the black panthers. The black panthers began in oakland, california. They really call themselves the black Panther Party for selfdefense. They were created in response to perceived Police Violence and intimidation. This poster became an iconic myriadin the rooms of High School College students during the 1960s and 70s. This is he weekly newton, the leader of the black Panther Party. What is powerful is that this poster talks a lot about what where black america was in 19681969. The one hand, there is an homage to africa. You have the zebra rug and materials, the chair that symbolizes the kind of king chair. But you also have the rifle and the pike as a way to say that violence will be met with violence. For the black Panther Party, their notion was that they will do what needs to be done in order to force america to change. This, whicho have has this wonderful quotation that speaks about the black Panther Partys commitment to , demanding the police to not violently intimidate the Africanamerican Community. And the notion of the black panther being an animal that is strong and aggressive, and will defend itself really sent the message for many people that a nonviolent way of change wasnt enough to change america. When i came back to the , shortlyan in 2005 there after katrina hit new orleans. One of the things that i realized is that as new orleans was devastated, popped in the Africanamerican Community bore the brunt of the devastation one of the things that i realized that was important for us to document that. As we thought about the things that we documented, i kept seeing the picture of people being rescued, the helicopter, the coast guard going down and having people jump into the basket. I have colleagues from the American Museum of history going down, and i asked him please pick up a basket for us. So this basket was one of our earliest acquisition. This was a gasket used to rescue people during katrina. So what you have seen in many ways is a snapshot of the more than 15,000 objects this museum has collected. And that these objects really are at the heart of what the smithsonian is. Even if you have the most Amazing Technology possible, it really is the artifact that brings the public to the smithsonian. And so for us, the fact that were able to find these wonderful materials give us the greatest confidence, that we were able to craft a museum on the one hand will tell great stories, will have wonderful artifacts, will be in a great building but more importantly, will be able to create an institution that will allow the public to engage candidly over an issue that has divided us more than anything else, that is race our job is not just to build a museum. Our job is to build a structure that within it allows a conversation to occur that makes america letter. America better. The sony unit National Museum of african American History and culture opens its doors to the public for the first time next saturday, september 24. American history tv will be lighted from the National Mall starting 8 00 a. M. Eastern with sights and sounds leading to the 10 00 a. M. Opening ceremony. Live with the dedication with remarks from president obama and founding director lonnie bunch. American history tv, only on cspan3. Cspan is visiting the city of grand rapids to learn more about its history. Of the next we visited the grand Rapids Public Museum, where curator will explain how grand rapids became known as Furniture City. For over 100 years grand for whats set the tone furniture will look like and feel like and how it will act. Although it doesnt do it for home and furnishings anymore, theres a good chance most people over the course of any given day will see or interact with furniture made in grand rapids. We are at the grand Rapids Public Museum in the museums Furniture City exhibit. The oldest piece of grand rapids furniture in the museums collection. Made by andsor chair is named our best guess around 1840. The first settlers dont start coming to grand rapids until about 1830. William is in that first early group went to grand rapids is just a tiny village on the banks of the grand river. He is the first guy that steps up a woodworking, or making shop, as they called it. Cabinet making shop, as they called it. It is pretty primitive, made by hand. The spokes on the back were made with a shave, instead of being turned on a leave. On a laive. It was probably just a oneoff that somebody paid him a dollar or two to make a chair. Knew people needed furniture for their house. In end of its self. It might not look anything special, but it is the beginning of furniture making in grand rapids. Grand rapids became the Furniture City in the 19th century and there were several told grandactors rapids or that title. They concluded having the Raw Materials needed to make furniture. The forests of michigan. The transportation to ship those from materials and ship the finished goods to market came in the form of the grand river. And finally the labor force. Grand rapids had many immigrants from European Countries that had the skills to carve wood, operate machinery, and build furniture. Of those three things combined in the years following the civil war to make a perfect storm for grand rapids to become the city. There was a whole class of wholl town leaders decidedly wanted to post in the Furniture Industry. These were those who wanted to control the banks, they control the capital. Had access to funds to set up a furniture factory. By working together, this first part of Larger Companies was established in the 1860s18 70s. Panies like the weather, phoenix, others than were some of the earliest Furniture Companies that got ball rolling. This is a highly idealized painting of the furniture factories in grand Rapids Michigan. It is certainly true that this was once, if not the Biggest Furniture manufacturer in grand rapids, and they had factories on the grand river, there is a bit of exaggeration in this piece. Scope andnvey the scale of the grand rapids furniture factory. Usually they are 45 stories tall with different aspects of manufacturing place on each level. A lot of time theres easy access to railroad. Almost every furniture factory is going to have a drawing in where rawy in yard, materials can drive to the right level of humidity to be turned into furniture. Most are designed with a courtyard in the center to allow natural light. Them predated electricity. Even once electricity came along, it was expensive. You wanted to have as much natural light. Painting. Elp with you needed all of your administrative offices. The Administration Building is featured right here, where all of the Company Secretaries and the salesman and managers would be based to run what is a Large National company. The when this painting was made in the 1920s, you can actually see the grand rapids upholstery company. That would be example of the company that themselves to not make furniture, but supported the for mr. Industry. Other things like wood finishing companies, brass hardware. All of these businesses were able to succeed in grand rapids to supply. Photographers were also a huge one. Taking photos to put in catalogs was a huge business in and of itself. The event that put grand rapids on the map was the worlds fair in philadelphia in 1876. The centennial exposition. Grand rapids has been making furniture for several decades by that point. That the worlds fair, three Different Companies submitted bedroom suites to a competition. All three won gold medals. Exposition itwide was pretty much universally agreed grand rapids was the best. Thats everybody lies and put grand rapids on the map. Call this the centennial bed. Inwon so many of the awards 1876. This particular piece was made by the peruvian gate Furniture Company in grand rapids. Its an example of how grand rapids amateur it is an example of grand rapids furniture. It looked like it could be carved by a master carver, but its lost of metal pieces using missile is lots of pieces. Parts that, the site are things you would not see before. They are incredibly impractical and would be easy to break off. But they give the peace and extra level of detail, at that time in the 1870s was really white popular. Quite popular. They combined the hardwood walnut with veneers. They have uses beautifully to use the grain of the wood stand out. I dont know if this piece would be considered truly practical. It would have been affordable for a middle or upper middle class family. This is something that would have been seen as a status in your home if you had one big enough. Woodworking was a person of high status, or maybe a person of good taste. The night in grand rapids market was synonymous with quality. A lot of places throughout the country the idea that furniture was made in grand rapids was much more significant than an individual company that most people would never have heard of. Grand rapids Furniture Companies pretty quickly realized this. Into anve banded organization that use as a trademark made in grand rapids. the heyday is in the 1920s. The 1920s were roaring, business was good. Between 300400 Companies Working at the time. Good. His was really there was an event called the furniture market, where all companies would release their and buyers from new york to california would all come to grand rapids for a week and have a huge party check out since furniture, and place new orders. Comes tourse that all a crashing halt the Great Depression in the 1930s. When the start market crashes, the furniture making model established rives against the full of hard. People that were wealthy and not affected by the depression is much were not the ones buying grand rapids furniture. The vast majority were middleclass people who found themselves in financial difficulty. Of course the orders went way down. Many grand rapids Furniture Companies went out of business. Takinger big factor place at the same time will continue throughout. Manufacturing shifting from places like grand rapids to the cell. To the south. Grand rapids no longer has the advantage of Raw Materials that they once did. The transportation has really changed. It is with trucking and railroads. There is no big advantage to being in a place like grand rapids anymore. The availability of cheap labor in the south really undermines the grand rapids Furniture Industry over the course of the 20th century. Looking at the back of this photograph you can see the Frank Lloyd Wright designed secretarys desk. This is a highlight of the museums collection. This was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and designed in grand inids ford johnson wax racing wisconsin. Racine, wisconsin. This is an example of the transition that grand rapids had to go through to be successful. It uses new materials like tubular steel metal. It puts the design at the forefront as opposed to manufacturing in bulk. Only maybe 100 of these desks were ever made. Because they were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, they have some interesting quirks. One of the most obvious is that the chair only has three legs. The story is because Frank Lloyd Wright one of the secretaries to sit up straight. If you were to lean back, he would tip over backwards. Some of the Largest Furniture manufacturing places are still located in grand rapids. Many are still huge employers and are important for the region. They are making lots and lots of furniture for businesses, schools, and hospitals. Likewise what is called the fixed seating industry, there are two Companies Based out of grand rapids. The American Seating Company and the irwin seating company, that between them make the majority of the fixed seating in the world. Stadiums, movie theaters, buses and trains. This is a different of a furniture then what was made in the 1800s. Moldedll be injected plastic and steel and new material. Evolved. What has the Common Thread is the idea of design. We want those that see this exhibit about furniture to understand the history of their town. A lot of these beautiful pieces of furniture were made right in grand rapids. That was an important part of the nation as a whole. It gives you a sense of place. You can understand what these buildings and grand rapids now getting reused as condos and upscale shops that originally started out as furniture factories. Get a better understanding of your city every day as you walk around downtown, having a bit of context for why things ire some of the way they are people realize tha, we have succeeded. This weekend we are featuring the history of grand Rapids Michigan with our comcast table partners. Learn more about grand rapids and other cities on a cities tour at cspan. Org cities tour. , youre watching American History tv all weekend, every weekend on cspan3. Lectures in history, a class on africanamerican women doctors in the early 20th century. She describes their efforts on behalf of other africanamerican women in the areas of birthing practices and cancer prevention. These doctors thought a connection between race and health activision