March 12, 2010
Dear Coalition Friends:
In recent weeks, readers have asked what we know about the proposed American Latino Museum which, you may recall, sponsors have stated must find a place on the National Mall.
Our July 31, 2008 UPDATE quoted an article "Mall sprawl" in The Examiner that included the following:
“The contributions of Latinos in this country are innumerable, and I am delighted that we are one step closer to fulfilling the dream of having a Museum of the American Latino on the national mall,” Sen. Robert Menéndez, D-N.J., said in a statement issued earlier this year.
Here's what we know.
The 2007 legislation (S.500) authorized creation of a "Commission to Study the Potential Creation of the National Museum of the American Latino." This Commission would consider, among other tasks, "Possible locations for the Museum in Washington, DC and its environs, to be considered in consultation with the National Capital Planning Commission [NCPC] and the Commission of Fine Arts, the Department of the Interior and Smithsonian Institution."
On September 23, 2009 President Obama appointed members of the Commission. Then on February 12, 2010 the Commission awarded four contracts and accelerated the museum timeline to complete their report to the President and Congress by September 2010. Read the press release on the Museum's website.
Here you can learn more about the Commission members.
The NCPC Memorials and Museums Plan identifies 100 sites for future projects off the "Reserve" portion of the Mall on which Congress has placed a moratorium.
Of course, the moratorium and Memorials Plan didn't stop choice of a Mall site in 2006 for the National Museum of African American History and Culture -- next to the Washington Monument. Where on the Mall are the Latino American Museum sponsors looking?
The National Park Service's National Mall Plan does not address future museum sites on the Mall.
For over 5 years the National Coalition to Save Our Mall has proposed expanding the Mall onto contiguous land, as the McMillan Commission did a century ago, as the logical way to allow the American story told on the Mall to continue to evolve. Congress has shown some interest. But the NCPC and NPS oppose Mall expansion. Why?
With the contract now awarded for studying sites, we are looking forward to the public meetings where options and alternatives for potential sites will be identified and analyzed.
We'll let our readers know when the announcement of public meetings are made.
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