This is how to understand America. So having the Museum of African American History and Culture on the mall, surrounded by the other museums, will make African-American culture central to all Americans.

It will tell the stories of African-American culture from slavery through civil rights.

This is too important to fail, because it is holding a nation's--holding a people's--culture in my hands, ... My litmus test will be, Would my ancestors be happy?

African-American history is American history.

I want to talk to the elders within the African American community. I want to get their sense, and their blessing, and an artifact or two,

One of the themes throughout African-American history, going back to before the Civil War, is many African-Americans viewing themselves as a nation, or a nationality, within the borders of the United States.