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WASHINGTON
–
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
sent
a
letter
to
the
Smithsonian
Institution
today,
requesting
a
reconsideration
of
the
omission
of
Associate
Justice
Clarence
Thomas,
the
second
African
American
to
ever
serve
on
the
United
States
Supreme
Court,
in
the
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture
(NMAAHC).
In
the
letter,
Senator
Scott
writes,
“I
respectfully
request
that
the
Smithsonian
strongly
reconsider
the
omission
of
Justice
Thomas’s
significant
legacy
in
the
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture
and
take
the
appropriate
steps
to
include
a
more
comprehensive
account
of
his
legacy
to
African
American
history.
I
sincerely
hope
that
a
museum
that
has
done
so
much
right
in
telling
the
history
of
African
Americans
will
not
deny
generations
of
Americans
the
privilege
of
experiencing
Justice
Thomas’s
incredible
and
inspirational
story.”
In
addition
to
sending
the
letter
today,
Senator
Scott
joined
a
group
of
senators
in
sponsoring
a
resolution that
also
calls
on
the
Smithsonian
to
include
Justice
Thomas
in
the
museum’s
exhibits.
You
can
download
letter
here
or
read
full
text
below:
December
6,
2016
Dr.
David
J.
Skorton
Secretary
of
the
Smithsonian
Smithsonian
Institution
PO
Box
37012
Washington,
DC
20013-7012
Mr.
Richard
Kurin
Acting
Provost
/
Under
Secretary
for
Museums
and
Research
Smithsonian
Institution
PO
Box
37012
Washington,
DC
20013-7012
Mr.
Lonnie
G.
Bunch
III
Founding
Director
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture
PO
Box
37012
Washington,
DC
20013-7012
Dear
Dr.
Skorton,
Mr.
Kurin,
and
Mr.
Bunch,
First
and
foremost,
I
write
to
thank
and
congratulate
you
and
the
entire
team
of
individuals
who
helped
create
the
awe-inspiring
Smithsonian
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture.
This
amazing
museum
is
essential
in
telling
a
complete
history
of
the
unique
and
compelling
story
of
the
Great
Experiment
that
is
the
United
States
of
America.
Since
the
opening,
I
understand
that
the
average
time
a
visitor
spends
in
the
museum
is
nearly
triple
the
amount
of
time
that
is
spent
in
other
Smithsonian
museums,
which
is
as
much
a
tribute
to
your
hard
work
and
dedication
as
it
is
to
the
subject
matter.
This
past
September,
I
was
honored
to
receive
an
invitation
to
preview
the
museum
before
the
building’s
historic
public
opening.
As
I
walked
through
the
museum’s
entrance,
I
could
not
help
but
think
of
my
late
grandfather,
born
in
1921,
and
who
had
seen,
endured,
and
persevered
through
experiences
that
many
of
us
today
cannot
even
imagine.
He
would
have
stood
in
wonderment
and
amazement
at
the
monument
to
the
African
American
story
that
now
sits
on
our
national
mall.
I
have
an
unending
appreciation
for
the
African
American
men
and
women
who
endured
so
much
to
open
doors
for
generations
that
followed,
without
them
I
would
not
have
the
privilege
of
serving
the
citizens
of
South
Carolina
in
the
United
States
Senate.
Walking
through
the
museum,
I
experienced
not
only
the
weight
of
the
pain
and
suffering
of
African
Americans
throughout
the
history
of
our
country
but
also
a
sense
of
accomplishment,
pride,
hope
and
optimism.
African
Americans
have
forever
touched
the
landscape
of
American
history
with
historic
contributions
that
have
enriched
our
culture,
expanded
our
intellect,
and
advanced
opportunity
for
people
around
the
world.
In
the
spirit
of
your
efforts
to
build
a
living
history,
I
am
writing
to
you
today
in
regards
to
an
important
piece
of
our
history
I
believe
has
been
overlooked.
I
was
saddened
and
extremely
disappointed
to
learn
that
the
museum
excluded
the
celebration
of
one
of
the
nation’s
most
influential
African
Americans
and
preeminent
legal
minds,
and
the
second-ever
African
American
to
serve
on
the
United
States
Supreme
Court,
Associate
Justice
Clarence
Thomas.
While
Justice
Thomas
and
I
do
not
share
the
same
keen
mastery
of
constitutional
law,
I
can
identify
to
some
degree,
with
some
of
the
inherent
stereotypes
and
personal
obstacles
that
Justice
Thomas
overcame
to
reach
the
pinnacle
of
his
profession.
I
can
attest
that,
similar
to
Justice
Thomas,
as
an
African
American
man
growing
up
in
abject
poverty
of
the
Deep
South,
without
the
full
arsenal
of
a
nuclear
family,
and
having
struggled
early
on
in
school,
options
for
my
success
seemed
limited
and
role
models
or
mentors
were
hard
to
find.
The
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture
has
an
exhibition
specifically
entitled
“Making
A
Way
Out
of
No
Way,”
which
seeks
to
explore
“themes
of
agency,
creativity,
and
resilience
through
personal
stories
of
African
Americans
who
challenged
racial
oppression
and
discrimination
and
created
ways
out
of
“no
way.”
I
cannot
think
of
a
more
appropriate
African
American
figure
to
encapsulate
the
“Making
A
Way
Out
of
No
Way”
mantra
than
Justice
Thomas
and
the
impossible
socioeconomic
obstacles
and
bigoted
hurdles
that
he
has
overcome
and
continues
to
battle.
With
those
thoughts
in
mind,
I
respectfully
request
that
the
Smithsonian
strongly
reconsider
the
omission
of
Justice
Thomas’
significant
legacy
in
the
National
Museum
of
African
American
History
and
Culture
and
take
the
appropriate
steps
to
include
a
more
comprehensive
account
of
his
legacy
to
African
American
history.
I
sincerely
hope
that
a
museum
that
has
done
so
much
right
in
telling
the
history
of
African
Americans
will
not
deny
generations
of
Americans
the
privilege
of
experiencing
Justice
Thomas’s
incredible
and
inspirational
story.
Sincerely,
Tim
Scott
U.S.
Senator
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