The architectural concept for the proposed National Museum of the American People created by MTFA Architecture for the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People. MTFA Architecture / Coalition for the National Museum of the American People
A dozen Irish American groups have joined a coalition of over 250 cultural organizations calling on President Joe Biden and US Congress to establish the National Museum of the American People, which will tell the "epic" story of the making of the American People.
Irish groups including the Irish-American Unity Conference, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the American Irish Historical Society are among the huge coalition, which features organizations representing 74 different ethnic groups.
The coalition says the museum will depict the story of American people along a 20,000-year pathway, starting with the First Peoples and then later documenting groups that migrated from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
The coalition has recently released its "Bringing All Americans Together" report, which highlights the need for a National Museum of the American People and offers possible sites for a future museum.
Coalition director Sam Eskenazi said the museum would help unite the present-day United States.
"This institution will honor all of our ancestors who first came here, will help us come together now, and will ensure our national values are passed on to our descendants," Eskenazi said in a statement.
"It will become one of the most compelling story-telling museums anywhere as it breathes new life into the first words of our Constitution: We the People."
Supporting the initiative, Hawaiin Senator Brian Schatz said the museum would help uplift the stories of immigrants of every background.
"The story of America is a story of immigration. For generations, people from around the world and from all walks of life have come to the United States in search of a better life for themselves and for their families," Schatz said in a statement.
"From the sugar cane plantations on Maui to the shipping ports in Maine, immigrants have made extraordinary contributions to the country over the years – and each of their stories is worthy of recognition and celebration.
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"The National Museum of the American People would help uplift the stories of immigrants of every background and celebrate the patriotism, contributions, and achievements of all Americans."
Meanwhile, California Representative Jimmy Panetta said the museum was needed to "tell the diverse and dynamic stories of the American people".
"The National Museum of the American People would bring together our shared history for generations to learn from, contribute to our national identity, and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our country. Americans from every corner of the globe have contributed to what our nation has become, and it is time that we told that story in full," Panetta said.
The Coalition proposes that none of the funds to plan and build the museum come from the Government except for a donation of a prominent federal plot of land.
One site being considered by museum backers is the site of the FBI Building on Pennsylvania Avenue about halfway between the White House and Congress. The FBI is slated to move to a nearby suburb.