SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Civil Rights History 
Project Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows: 
(1) A fundamental principle of American de-
mocracy 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 1950’s through the 
1960’s are a shining example of this principle in ac-
tion, demonstrated in events as varied as the Mont-
gomery 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 move-
ment possess an invaluable resource in their first- 
hand memories of the movement, and the recording 
of the retelling of their stories and memories will 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
20:55 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H998.IH
H998
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
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 co-
ordinated Federal project would also focus attention 
on the efforts undertaken by various public and pri-
vate 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 Smithso-
nian Institution are appropriate repositories to col-
lect, preserve, and make available to the public a col-
lection of these oral histories. The Library and 
Smithsonian have expertise in the management of 
documentation projects, and experience in the devel-
opment 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 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
20:55 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H998.IH
H998
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
video and audio recordings of personal histories and 
testimonials of individuals who participated in the Amer-
ican Civil Rights movement that will build upon and com-
plement previous and ongoing documentary work on this 
subject, and to assist and encourage local efforts to pre-
serve 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 AMER-
ICAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Within the limits of avail-
able funds, the Librarian of Congress (hereafter re-
ferred 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 re-
cordings of the reminiscences of participants in 
the Civil Rights movement that are housed in 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
20:55 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H998.IH
H998
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
archives, libraries, museums, and other edu-
cational institutions, as well as ongoing docu-
mentary work, in order to augment and com-
plement these endeavors and avoid duplication 
of effort; 
(B) to solicit, reproduce, and collect— 
(i) video and audio recordings of per-
sonal histories and testimonials of individ-
uals who participated in the Civil Rights 
movement, and 
(ii) visual and written materials (such 
as 
letters, 
diaries, 
photographs, 
and 
ephemera) relevant to the personal his-
tories 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 Li-
brarian 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 His-
tory and Culture, as well as through such other 
methods as the Librarian and the Secretary 
consider appropriate. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:57 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H998.IH
H998
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS
(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 ENTI-
TIES.—The Librarian and the Secretary may carry out the 
activities described in subsection (a)(1) through agree-
ments and partnerships entered into with other govern-
ment and private entities, and may otherwise consult with 
interested persons (within the limits of available re-
sources) and develop appropriate guidelines and arrange-
ments for soliciting, acquiring, and making available re-
cordings under the project under this Act. 
(c) SERVICES OF EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS; AC-
CEPTANCE
OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES; ADVANCE PAY-
MENTS.—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 au-
thorized under section 5703 of title 5, United States 
Code; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:57 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H998.IH
H998
bajohnson on PROD1PC77 with BILLS