20 U.S.C. § 80q — Findings

submitted 37 years ago by Pub. L. 101-185 to r/title-20-EDUCATION · 361 words · no verdicts yet

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Congress found that no national museum focuses only on Native American history and art. It noted the Heye Museum in New York has over a million objects but not enough space. Congress also found the Smithsonian holds thousands of Native American human remains that should be returned.

Congress made these findings: (1) No national museum is devoted only to the history and art of cultures native to the Americas. (2) Even though the Smithsonian runs many Native American programs, none of its 19 museums, galleries, and research facilities focuses only on Native American history and art. (3) The Heye Museum in New York has one of the largest Native American collections in the world — more than 1,000,000 art objects and artifacts, plus a 40,000-volume library on Native American archaeology, ethnology, and history. (4) The Heye Museum's building has only 90,000 square feet, but it needs at least 400,000 square feet for exhibits, storage, and research. (5) Combining the Heye Museum's collection with the Smithsonian's Native American collection would: (A) create a national institution with unmatched ability to exhibit and research this material; (B) let all Americans learn about Native Americans' cultural legacy, history, and modern culture; (C) provide space for scholarly meetings and performing arts; (D) create learning and curatorial opportunities for Indians; and (E) allow traveling exhibits to reach communities across the country. (6) On the Surgeon General of the Army's order, about 4,000 Indian human remains from battlefields and burial sites were sent to the Army Medical Museum and later transferred to the Smithsonian. (7) Through digs, personal donations, and museum donations, the Smithsonian has also gathered about 14,000 more Indian human remains. (8) These human remains (from findings (6) and (7)) have long concerned many Indian tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and Native Hawaiian communities, who want a proper resting place for their ancestors. (9) Identifying where these remains came from is essential to addressing that concern. (10) A special site on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. — U.S. Government Reservation No. 6 — is reserved for the Smithsonian and is available to build the National Museum of the American Indian.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

The Congress finds that—

(1)

there is no national museum devoted exclusively to the history and art of cultures indigenous to the Americas;

(2)

although the Smithsonian Institution sponsors extensive Native American programs, none of its 19 museums, galleries, and major research facilities is devoted exclusively to Native American history and art;

(3)

the Heye Museum in New York, New York, one of the largest Native American collections in the world, has more than 1,000,000 art objects and artifacts and a library of 40,000 volumes relating to the archaeology, ethnology, and history of Native American peoples;

(4)

the Heye Museum is housed in facilities with a total area of 90,000 square feet, but requires a minimum of 400,000 square feet for exhibition, storage, and scholarly research;

(5)

the bringing together of the Heye Museum collection and the Native American collection of the Smithsonian Institution would—

(A)

create a national institution with unrivaled capability for exhibition and research;

(B)

give all Americans the opportunity to learn of the cultural legacy, historic grandeur, and contemporary culture of Native Americans;

(C)

provide facilities for scholarly meetings and the performing arts;

(D)

make available curatorial and other learning opportunities for Indians; and

(E)

make possible traveling exhibitions to communities throughout the Nation;

(6)

by order of the Surgeon General of the Army, approximately 4,000 Indian human remains from battlefields and burial sites were sent to the Army Medical Museum and were later transferred to the Smithsonian Institution;

(7)

through archaeological excavations, individual donations, and museum donations, the Smithsonian Institution has acquired approximately 14,000 additional Indian human remains;

(8)

the human remains referred to in paragraphs (6) and (7) have long been a matter of concern for many Indian tribes, including Alaska Native Villages, and Native Hawaiian communities which are determined to provide an appropriate resting place for their ancestors;

(9)

identification of the origins of such human remains is essential to addressing that concern; and

(10)

an extraordinary site on the National Mall in the District of Columbia (U.S. Government Reservation No. 6) is reserved for the use of the Smithsonian Institution and is available for construction of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 101–185, § 2, Nov. 28, 1989, 103 Stat. 1336.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1989Enacted · Pub. L. 101-185 · 103 Stat. 1336

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 101-185 on 1989-11-28.

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