I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1531

To authorize the rehabilitation and expansion of The African American Panoramic Experience Center within the Martin Luther King, Junior, Historic

Site and Preservation District.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 30, 1993

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To authorize the rehabilitation and expansion of The African

American Panoramic Experience Center within the Martin Luther King, Junior, Historic Site and Preservation

District.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

4 The Congress finds that—

5 (1) the Martin Luther King, Junior, Historic

6 Site and Preservation District is one of the most sig7 nificant places in the country dedicated to African8 American history;
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1 (2) the Martin Luther King, Junior, Historic

2 Site and Preservation District receives the largest

3 number of visitors compared to any other historic

4 site in the State of Georgia and is the 3rd most vis5 ited historic site in the National Park Service in the

6 country;

7 (3) the lack of a comprehensive, international

8 context within which to interpret African-American

9 history and culture impedes the ability of all Ameri10 cans, particularly African-Americans, to understand

11 themselves and their relationship to America’s past

12 and its future;

13 (4) African-American history is complex and re14 quires the integration of diverse experiences of Afri15 can-Americans ranging from slavery and freedom—

16 to cultural, scientific and athletic endeavors, through

17 the continued struggles for full participation in our

18 society—to reinforce the positive self-image of Afri19 can-Americans and to develop pride in their past

20 and hope for their future;

21 (5) the expansion of a national museum on Af22 rican-American history and culture, which will in23 clude a wide array of collections from an eclectic

24 group of African-Americans, will help all Americans,

25 and those who visit our country from abroad, better
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1 understand and appreciate the significant contribu2 tions made by African-Americans to American as

3 well as world history;

4 (6) the African-American Panoramic Experi5 ence Museum is located in Atlanta, Georgia, at the

6 gateway to and part of the Martin Luther King,

7 Junior, Historic Site and Preservation District. The

8 APEX houses its own African-American Collection

9 and is the site of exhibitions on African-American

10 art and culture;

11 (7) the Atlanta Fulton County African Amer12 ican Research Library, under construction adjacent

13 to The APEX, is designated by Fulton County to

14 serve as the primary location in the Atlanta region

15 for conducting research related to African-American

16 studies and for fostering academic research initia17 tives on African-American history and culture.

18 SEC. 2. REHABILITATION AND EXPANSION OF THE APEX

19 (AFRICAN AMERICAN PANORAMIC EXPERI20 ENCE) CENTER.

21 (a) REHABILITATION.—The Secretary is authorized

22 to make a grant to the Collections of Life and Heritage,

23 Inc., a nonprofit corporation of The APEX, to rehabilitate

24 their present facility, The APEX, in order to ‘‘complement

25 and enhance the District (the Martin Luther King, Jun-
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1 ior, Historic Site and Preservation District) and the pur2 poses for which the District is established (Public Law

3 96–428; 94 Stat. 1842; Sec. 4(c)(3)). The APEX is lo4 cated in Atlanta, Georgia, at 135 Auburn Avenue, N.E.,

5 the gateway to the Martin Luther King, Junior, Historic

6 Site and Preservation District.

7 (b) EXPANSION.—To enhance the presentation and

8 preservation of the significant contributions of African9 Americans to the history and culture of America, the Sec10 retary shall make a grant to the Collections of Life and

11 Heritage, Inc., a nonprofit corporation of The Apex, to

12 expand their present facility.

13 (c) REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT.—A grant may not

14 be made under subsection (a) unless an application is

15 made to the Secretary at such time and in such manner

16 as the Secretary may require. The application shall include

17 provisions designed to ensure that—

18 (1) the first floor of the expanded facility (The

19 APEX II) can serve as a visitors center for the Mar20 tin Luther King, Junior, Historic Site and Preserva21 tion District and the surrounding National Park

22 Service parks, to provide an orientation to the sites,

23 activities, and services created to enhance their edu24 cational experience; and
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1 (2) the facility will serve as an international

2 center to showcase the historical, intellectual, cul3 tural, artistic, scientific, and athletic achievements of

4 African-Americans through galleries, exhibitions,

5 multivideo presentations and an archive collection

6 filled with artifacts and memorabilia that reflect Af7 rican and African-American life.

8 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

9 As used in this Act—

10 (1) the term ‘‘APEX’’ means the African Amer11 ican Panoramic Experience Museum located in At12 lanta, Georgia;

13 (2) the term ‘‘Center’’ means The African

14 American Panoramic Experience (APEX) Center;

15 and

16 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

17 of the Interior.

18 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

19 (a) AMOUNT.—There are authorized to be appro20 priated $12,500,000 to the Secretary for fiscal year 1994

21 to rehabilitate and expand The APEX.

22 (b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds appropriated

23 pursuant to the authority of subsection (a) shall remain

24 available until expended.

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