In 2013, the country commemorates two events that changed the course of the nation — the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the 1963 March on Washington. Separated by 100 years, they are linked together in a larger story of freedom and the American experience - African American history IS America’s history. To commemorate these two pivotal achievements, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), in collaboration with the National Museum of American History (NMAH), presents an exhibition that explores the historical context of these two crucial events, their accomplishments and limitations, and their impact on the generations that followed.

When NMAAHC's doors open in 2015, exhibitions like this and more will make it a place of meaning, of memory, of reflection, of joy, and of hope. The stories, objects, and treasures housed in the NMAAHC’s museum will remind us of where we’ve been; the challenges we still face and what we can become.

Pledge to support the newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution—the National Museum of African American History and Culture—and help preserve the treasures and history that will stimulate a dialogue about race and help to foster a spirit of reconciliation and healing.

By pledging your support today, you’ll help NMAAHC:

---  Create a place to tell the stories of African Americans from the earliest days of this country to the election of the first African American president and beyond—moments of pain, but also moments of joy and inspiration

---  Allow all Americans to explore and revel in the African American experience, an experience that has affected and shaped us all

--- Recognize the journey that all Americans have taken together, from Emancipation to the Civil Rights movement, from Harriet Tubman to Barack Obama

--- Serve as a place of collaboration and knowledge sharing

To share this important piece of the American experience—the NMAAHC needs your support.