African-American History On Display At Newly Opened National Museum

WASHINGTON D.C. (CBSNewYork) -- The new National Museum of African-American History and Culture, opened to the public on Saturday.

President Obama spoke at the dedication ceremony telling the crowd in attendance that the museum would help tell a "richer and fuller" story of African-Americans.

Early Saturday morning, CBS2's Marlie Hall had a preview of what visitors could expect when touring the museum.

Visitors will see thousands of artifacts -- some so large that the museum had to be built around them, including a segregation era rail car and a guard tower from a notorious Louisiana prison.

Guests are encouraged to start with an exhibit on slavery in the U.S. which displays shackles, a slave cabin, and Harriet Tubman's shawl.

A tour brings visitors chronologically through freedom, segregation, and civil rights -- stories which are told through the help of an interactive lunch counter.

Overhead is a biplane flown by Tuskegee airmen in World War II.

The museum's collection was built from scratch. Many of its 37,000 artifacts were donated.

"For me it's like becoming a part of history," curator Michele Gates Moresi said.

She has worked for a decade to make the museum possible.

"To help make it happen is pretty special and humbling," she said.

The museum's upper floors celebrate African-American achievements in sports and culture. That's where you'll find Chuck Berry's Cadillac convertible, and Muhammad Ali's boxing robe.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.