[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 89 (Thursday, June 24, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENACTMENT OF THE NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS COMMEMORATION ACT OF 
                      2003, H.R. 2424 AND S. 1233

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 23, 2004

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the enactment of the 
National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2003, H.R. 2424 and 
S. 1233, companion legislation that I introduced along with my friend 
Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. This bill received bipartisan 
support in both committees of jurisdiction in the House, as well as 
bicameral support--having passed quickly to the floor from the Senate 
Judiciary Committee. I thank the President for signing this legislation 
into law on June 22, 2004.
  With valued input from Drs. Elmer and Joanne Martin, founders of the 
Great Blacks in Wax Museum, I introduced this bill to help bring long 
overdue recognition to African Americans who have served our Nation 
with great distinction, but whose names, faces and achievements may not 
be well-known by the average citizen. Rest assured that this 
recognition can and will be accomplished and preserved through 
expansion of the Great Blacks in Wax Museum--a national treasure 
located in my district in Baltimore, Maryland.
  In addition to the 200 existing figures at the museum, I am pleased 
to inform that a priority will be placed on exhibits presenting the 22 
Black Americans who served in Congress during the 19th century. Several 
of these 22 were born into slavery. All of these Americans proudly 
served their constituencies and their Nation. Other members from the 
1900s such as Senator Edward Brooke, Representatives Julian Dixon (D-
CA), Oscar Stanton De Priest (R-IL), Louis Stokes (D-OH), Parren J. 
Mitchell (D-MD), J.C. Watts, Jr. (R-OK) and others will also receive 
special recognition. Several of the existing figures depict Colin 
Powell, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune 
and former Representatives Mickey Leland of Texas, as well as, Shirley 
Chisholm and Adam Clayton Powell of New York.
  The expanded museum will focus on Black military veterans of various 
military engagements, including the Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee 
Airmen; on Black judges and prominent attorneys; and on the role of 
Blacks in the discovery and settlement of America. It will also 
showcase Blacks who served in senior civilian Executive Branch 
positions, such as Ralph Bunche (FDR administration), E. Frederic 
Morrow (Eisenhower administration), Robert Weaver (Johnson 
Administration), William Coleman (Ford administration), Patricia Harris 
(Carter administration), Louis Sullivan (George H.W. Bush 
administration), and others who have not received appropriate 
recognition.
  Lastly, this legislation authorizes assistance in establishing a 
Justice Learning Center as a component of the expanded Museum complex. 
The Justice Learning Center will include state-of-the art facilities 
and resources to educate the public, especially at-risk youth, about 
the role of African Americans in our nation's judicial system. It will 
include a special focus on the civil rights movement, and on the role 
of African Americans as lawmakers, attorneys and in the Judiciary.
  Mr. Speaker, the Great Blacks in Wax Museum was founded in 1983 by 
Dr. Elmer Martin and Dr. Joanne Martin, who started the museum with 
their own funds carrying a few figures and exhibit materials around the 
country in their car. Today I am proud to report that the museum 
currently occupies part of a city block in East Baltimore and includes 
more than 200 wax figures. It is America's first wax museum of Black 
history. The museum now receives well over 200,000 visitors a year--
more than half of these visitors are school children. I also will 
mention that several members of Congress and their staff have visited 
the museum and relayed to me the awesome nature of their visit--how the 
figures and exhibits both moved and informed--resulting in a truly 
enriching experience. Enactment makes certain that the Museum can 
continue its mission to preserve a great part of our nation's history.
  I would be remiss if I did not relay to you how important and 
inspiring this Museum is to its East Baltimore community. The Great 
Blacks in Wax Museum functions as more than just a museum. It is a 
stalwart in its community. The Martins established the Museum with the 
primary motivation ``to use education, history and example to help 
mainly disadvantaged youth overcome feelings of alienation, defeatism 
and despair.'' It provides a safe-haven for at-risk youth and offers 
opportunities for young people in the community to take part in 
employment, intern and volunteer programs. The Museum has enrichment 
programs for individuals, families, daycare centers, churches, schools 
and other non-profit organizations. In keeping with its commitment to 
community involvement, the Museum's many programs serve as a means for 
taking learning and cultural enrichment beyond the school walls. The 
Justice Learning Center will extend the outreach efforts of the Museum 
to homeless shelters, halfway houses, adult day care, domestic violence 
centers, youth residential facilities and other places to reach 
disadvantaged and/or at-risk youth and families.
  Mr. Speaker, enactment of this legislation is a testament to the 
Martins' persistence and vision. Enactment also means that the National 
Great Blacks in Wax Museum--a national treasure--will receive needed 
federal support to ensure that generations yet unborn will be told the 
story of these great Americans. The Museum will assure that History 
never forgets this legacy.
  Finally, again, I want to thank Representative Sensenbrenner and his 
staff Joseph Gibson and Katy Crooks, Representative Conyers and his 
staff Lillian German, as well as Representatives Pombo and Rahall and 
their staffers, Frank Vitello, Richard Healy and David Watkins for all 
of their hard work in moving this legislation through their respective 
Committees. I would especially like to thank my legislative director, 
Kimberly Ross, in seeing this legislation through to its successful 
end.

                          ____________________