To direct the Librarian of Congress and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to carry out a joint project at the Library of Congress and the National Museum of African American History and Culture to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of individuals who participated in the Civil Rights movement, and for other purposes.

Summary: Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009 - Requires, within the limits of available funds, the Librarian of Congress and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (acting through the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture) to establish an oral history project to: (1) collect video and audio recordings of, and visual and written materials relevant to the personal histories of, participants in the Civil Rights movement; and (2) make the collection available for public use through the Library of Congress and the Museum.

Defines, for this Act, "Civil Rights movement" as the movement to secure racial equality in the United States for African Americans that, focusing on the period 1954 through 1968, challenged the practice of racial segregation in the nation and achieved equal rights legislation for all American citizens.

Encourages the Librarian and the Secretary to solicit and accept related donations of funds and in-kind contributions.

Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Civil Rights History Project Act of 
2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
    (a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
        (1) A fundamental principle of American democracy is that 
    individuals should stand up for their rights and beliefs and fight 
    for justice.
        (2) The actions of those who participated in the Civil Rights 
    movement from the 1950s through the 1960s are a shining example of 
    this principle in action, demonstrated in events as varied as the 
    Montgomery Bus Boycott, the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, the March 
    on Washington, the drive for voting rights in Mississippi, and the 
    March to Selma.
        (3) While the Civil Rights movement had many visible leaders, 
    including Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa 
    Parks, there were many others whose impact and experience were just 
    as important to the cause but who are not as well known.
        (4) The participants in the Civil Rights movement possess an 
    invaluable resource in their first-hand memories of the movement, 
    and the recording of the retelling of their stories and memories 
    will provide a rich, detailed history of our Nation during an 
    important and tumultuous period.
        (5) It is in the Nation's interest to undertake a project to 
    collect oral histories of individuals from the Civil Rights 
    movement so future generations will be able to learn of their 
    struggle and sacrifice through primary-source, eyewitness material. 
    A coordinated Federal project would also focus attention on the 
    efforts undertaken by various public and private entities to 
    collect and interpret articles in all formats relating to the Civil 
    Rights movement, and serve as a model for future projects 
    undertaken in museums, libraries, and universities throughout the 
    Nation.
        (6) The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution are 
    appropriate repositories to collect, preserve, and make available 
    to the public a collection of these oral histories. The Library and 
    Smithsonian have expertise in the management of documentation 
    projects, and experience in the development of cultural and 
    educational programs for the public.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to create a new 
federally sponsored, authorized, and funded project that will 
coordinate at a national level the collection of video and audio 
recordings of personal histories and testimonials of individuals who 
participated in the American Civil Rights movement that will build upon 
and complement previous and ongoing documentary work on this subject, 
and to assist and encourage local efforts to preserve the memories of 
such individuals so that Americans of all current and future 
generations may hear from them directly and better appreciate the 
sacrifices they made.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT PROJECT AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND 
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE TO COLLECT 
VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDINGS OF HISTORIES OF PARTICIPANTS IN AMERICAN 
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
    (a) Establishment of Project.--
        (1) In general.--Within the limits of available funds, the 
    Librarian of Congress (hereafter referred to as the ``Librarian'') 
    and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (hereafter 
    referred to as the ``Secretary)'', acting jointly, shall establish 
    an oral history project--
            (A) to survey, during the initial phase of the project, 
        collections of audio and video recordings of the reminiscences 
        of participants in the Civil Rights movement that are housed in 
        archives, libraries, museums, and other educational 
        institutions, as well as ongoing documentary work, in order to 
        augment and complement these endeavors and avoid duplication of 
        effort;
            (B) to solicit, reproduce, and collect--
                (i) video and audio recordings of personal histories 
            and testimonials of individuals who participated in the 
            Civil Rights movement, and
                (ii) visual and written materials (such as letters, 
            diaries, photographs, and ephemera) relevant to the 
            personal histories of individuals;
            (C) to create a collection of the recordings and other 
        materials obtained, and to catalog and index the collection in 
        a manner the Librarian and the Secretary consider appropriate; 
        and
            (D) to make the collection available for public use through 
        the Library of Congress and the National Museum of African 
        American History and Culture, as well as through such other 
        methods as the Librarian and the Secretary consider 
        appropriate.
        (2) Role of director of museum.--The Secretary shall carry out 
    the Secretary's duties under this Act through the Director of the 
    National Museum of African American History and Culture.
    (b) Use of and Consultation With Other Entities.--The Librarian and 
the Secretary may carry out the activities described in subsection 
(a)(1) through agreements and partnerships entered into with other 
government and private entities, and may otherwise consult with 
interested persons (within the limits of available resources) and 
develop appropriate guidelines and arrangements for soliciting, 
acquiring, and making available recordings under the project under this 
Act.
    (c) Services of Experts and Consultants; Acceptance of Volunteer 
Services; Advance Payments.--In carrying out activities described in 
subsection (a)(1), the Librarian and the Secretary may--
        (1) procure temporary and intermittent services under section 
    3109 of title 5, United States Code;
        (2) accept and utilize the services of volunteers and other 
    uncompensated personnel and reimburse them for travel expenses, 
    including per diem, as authorized under section 5703 of title 5, 
    United States Code; and
        (3) make advances of money and payments in advance in 
    accordance with section 3324 of title 31, United States Code.
    (d) Timing.--As soon as practicable after the enactment of this 
Act, the Librarian and the Secretary shall begin collecting video and 
audio recordings and other materials under subsection (a)(1), and shall 
attempt to collect the first such recordings from the oldest 
individuals involved.
    (e) Definition.--In this Act, the term ``Civil Rights movement'' 
means the movement to secure racial equality in the United States for 
African Americans that, focusing on the period 1954 through 1968, 
challenged the practice of racial segregation in the Nation and 
achieved equal rights legislation for all American citizens.
SEC. 4. PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY PROJECT.
    (a) Encouraging Solicitation and Acceptance of Donations.--The 
Librarian of Congress and the Secretary are encouraged to solicit and 
accept donations of funds and in-kind contributions to support 
activities under section 3.
    (b) Dedication of Funds Provided to Library of Congress.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
        (1) any funds donated to the Librarian of Congress to support 
    the activities of the Librarian under section 3 shall be deposited 
    entirely into an account established for such purpose;
        (2) the funds contained in such account shall be used solely to 
    support such activities; and
        (3) the Librarian of Congress may not deposit into such account 
    any funds donated to the Librarian which are not donated for the 
    exclusive purpose of supporting such activities.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
        (1) $500,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
        (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
    2011 through 2014.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.