Since its debut in Sept. 2016, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture received eager attendees who vied to experience the rich known and unknown history that awaits inside. With a formal inauguration anointing its opening, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama made sure to cast an international spotlight on this historic feat. Now, Washington D.C.’s must-see establishment has achieved a major feat that’s worth throwing another celebration.
According to WJLA, the museum notched one million visitors within six months of business. The news site adds that 1,000 passes were given to visitors during the Smithsonian’s premiere week.
The museum holds a deeper meaning for black people worldwide, and for Rep. John Lewis, he hopes the NMAAHC will tell “the unvarnished truth of America’s history — a story that speaks to the soul of our nation, but one few Americans know.” Lewis added that the museum will serve as a permanent reminder of “400 years of history [that] can’t be buried; its lessons must be learned. By bringing the uncomfortable parts of our past out of the shadows, we can better understand what divides us and seek to heal those problems through our unity.”
Obama also made a public declaration ahead of the museum’s opening, stating that “African American history is not somehow separate than the American story. It is not the underside of the American story. It is central to the American story.”
