[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 586 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.586
One Hundred Eleventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the sixth day of January, two thousand and nine
An Act
To direct the Librarian of Congress and the Secretary of the Smithsonian
Institution to carry out a joint project at the Library of Congress and
the National Museum of African American History and Culture to collect
video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of
individuals who participated in the Civil Rights movement, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Civil Rights History Project Act of
2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
(1) A fundamental principle of American democracy is that
individuals should stand up for their rights and beliefs and fight
for justice.
(2) The actions of those who participated in the Civil Rights
movement from the 1950s through the 1960s are a shining example of
this principle in action, demonstrated in events as varied as the
Montgomery Bus Boycott, the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, the March
on Washington, the drive for voting rights in Mississippi, and the
March to Selma.
(3) While the Civil Rights movement had many visible leaders,
including Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa
Parks, there were many others whose impact and experience were just
as important to the cause but who are not as well known.
(4) The participants in the Civil Rights movement possess an
invaluable resource in their first-hand memories of the movement,
and the recording of the retelling of their stories and memories
will provide a rich, detailed history of our Nation during an
important and tumultuous period.
(5) It is in the Nation's interest to undertake a project to
collect oral histories of individuals from the Civil Rights
movement so future generations will be able to learn of their
struggle and sacrifice through primary-source, eyewitness material.
A coordinated Federal project would also focus attention on the
efforts undertaken by various public and private entities to
collect and interpret articles in all formats relating to the Civil
Rights movement, and serve as a model for future projects
undertaken in museums, libraries, and universities throughout the
Nation.
(6) The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution are
appropriate repositories to collect, preserve, and make available
to the public a collection of these oral histories. The Library and
Smithsonian have expertise in the management of documentation
projects, and experience in the development of cultural and
educational programs for the public.
(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to create a new
federally sponsored, authorized, and funded project that will
coordinate at a national level the collection of video and audio
recordings of personal histories and testimonials of individuals who
participated in the American Civil Rights movement that will build upon
and complement previous and ongoing documentary work on this subject,
and to assist and encourage local efforts to preserve the memories of
such individuals so that Americans of all current and future
generations may hear from them directly and better appreciate the
sacrifices they made.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT PROJECT AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE TO COLLECT
VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDINGS OF HISTORIES OF PARTICIPANTS IN AMERICAN
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
(a) Establishment of Project.--
(1) In general.--Within the limits of available funds, the
Librarian of Congress (hereafter referred to as the ``Librarian'')
and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (hereafter
referred to as the ``Secretary)'', acting jointly, shall establish
an oral history project--
(A) to survey, during the initial phase of the project,
collections of audio and video recordings of the reminiscences
of participants in the Civil Rights movement that are housed in
archives, libraries, museums, and other educational
institutions, as well as ongoing documentary work, in order to
augment and complement these endeavors and avoid duplication of
effort;
(B) to solicit, reproduce, and collect--
(i) video and audio recordings of personal histories
and testimonials of individuals who participated in the
Civil Rights movement, and
(ii) visual and written materials (such as letters,
diaries, photographs, and ephemera) relevant to the
personal histories of individuals;
(C) to create a collection of the recordings and other
materials obtained, and to catalog and index the collection in
a manner the Librarian and the Secretary consider appropriate;
and
(D) to make the collection available for public use through
the Library of Congress and the National Museum of African
American History and Culture, as well as through such other
methods as the Librarian and the Secretary consider
appropriate.
(2) Role of director of museum.--The Secretary shall carry out
the Secretary's duties under this Act through the Director of the
National Museum of African American History and Culture.
(b) Use of and Consultation With Other Entities.--The Librarian and
the Secretary may carry out the activities described in subsection
(a)(1) through agreements and partnerships entered into with other
government and private entities, and may otherwise consult with
interested persons (within the limits of available resources) and
develop appropriate guidelines and arrangements for soliciting,
acquiring, and making available recordings under the project under this
Act.
(c) Services of Experts and Consultants; Acceptance of Volunteer
Services; Advance Payments.--In carrying out activities described in
subsection (a)(1), the Librarian and the Secretary may--
(1) procure temporary and intermittent services under section
3109 of title 5, United States Code;
(2) accept and utilize the services of volunteers and other
uncompensated personnel and reimburse them for travel expenses,
including per diem, as authorized under section 5703 of title 5,
United States Code; and
(3) make advances of money and payments in advance in
accordance with section 3324 of title 31, United States Code.
(d) Timing.--As soon as practicable after the enactment of this
Act, the Librarian and the Secretary shall begin collecting video and
audio recordings and other materials under subsection (a)(1), and shall
attempt to collect the first such recordings from the oldest
individuals involved.
(e) Definition.--In this Act, the term ``Civil Rights movement''
means the movement to secure racial equality in the United States for
African Americans that, focusing on the period 1954 through 1968,
challenged the practice of racial segregation in the Nation and
achieved equal rights legislation for all American citizens.
SEC. 4. PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY PROJECT.
(a) Encouraging Solicitation and Acceptance of Donations.--The
Librarian of Congress and the Secretary are encouraged to solicit and
accept donations of funds and in-kind contributions to support
activities under section 3.
(b) Dedication of Funds Provided to Library of Congress.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
(1) any funds donated to the Librarian of Congress to support
the activities of the Librarian under section 3 shall be deposited
entirely into an account established for such purpose;
(2) the funds contained in such account shall be used solely to
support such activities; and
(3) the Librarian of Congress may not deposit into such account
any funds donated to the Librarian which are not donated for the
exclusive purpose of supporting such activities.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $500,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
2011 through 2014.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.