Pocan proposes a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, reintroduced two bills on Friday that would “begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture,” according to a press release.
The proposal was backed by all eight of the caucus’s openly-LGBTQ co-chairs, Democratic U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (Calif.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Robert Garcia (Calif.), Becca Balint (Vt.), Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), Angie Craig (Minn.) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.).
Pocan’s first bill would create an eight-member commission to assess the viability of building the facility in D.C., directing its “recommendations to address whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution.” Members of the commission, who will be chosen for their expertise in museum planning or LGBTQ research and culture, will have 18 months to develop a fundraising plan to support the project through public contributions and compile a report on the availability and cost of acquiring collections, among other responsibilities.
Then, Congress will consider the second bill to formally begin creating the museum. Pocan, whose proposal comes during the National LGBT History Month observance, discussed the importance of his project in a statement: “As our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase our history, we must preserve and protect our stories for future generations.
