Over the weekend I had the privilege to attend the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture here in Washington, D.C.

As I roamed through this new marvel, I witnessed the greater story of African Americans in the United States. The museum showcases African-American history since the sixteenth century, covering the origins of African slavery to the election of the first black president, Barack Obama.

The museum did a tremendous job at focusing on specific public policies that changed the face of African Americans in the United States.

For example, a very significant section of the museum covers the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education court decision. This case proved the unconstitutionality of the “separate but equal” doctrine from the 1896 ruling in Plessy vs Ferguson, which changed the face of educational opportunities in our nation. Not only did it denounce segregation in school settings, it also opened up conversations regarding policies that would provide African Americans with more rights.

The 1954 case essentially proved to be the catalyst of the Civil Rights Movements in the late 1950s and the 1960s, standing for the notion of equality of all under American law.

For instance, future legislations were passed as a result to provide advancements in opportunities for African Americans as seen in the 24^th amendment, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act. These legislations were also displayed by the museum, but the greater focus was the landmark change that the Brown vs. Board of Education court case.

In conclusion, the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s purpose, through the intense focus of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, as well as other pressing public policy issues, is to continue to tell the story of the contributions of African Americans to American society.

I recommend that you all take a trip to this amazing museum. This isn’t only African America history; this IS the history of the United States of America.