President Joe Biden on Monday signed a bill that would study the establishment of a National Museum dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture.
"It's about time for a national museum to capture the courage, the character, and the imagination ... the dreams and the heart and the soul of the generations of our fellow Americans who came before you," Biden said upon signing the legislation, according to CNN.
"Today, it's clear that the battle for the soul of America continues, that's why a museum like this is going to matter so much," he added.
"Museums of this magnitude and consequence are going to inspire and educate. More than anything else, it's going to help people see themselves in the story of America."
Biden went on to say that this "long overdue" bill comes at a "critical time," about one year after the mass shooting at an Atlanta spa that killed eight people, including six women who were of Asian descent, as well as increased attacks against Asian Americans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also noted that it's been about 80 years since Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps during World War II.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office of vice president, said at the event that "to teach this history is to help all of us as Americans understand where we come from and to teach this history is to help us understand who we are."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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