Arts Nantucket, The Annual Spriggs Lecture

The Annual Frank and Bette Spriggs Lectures celebrate various aspects of African American history and culture. The events are held at the historic site of the African Meeting House on Nantucket Island. This year's lecture was delivered by Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Director of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. On July 31, 2007, the African Meeting House was filled with local islanders and visiting tourists who had come to hear the story of a great American historic endeavour. Dr. Bunch spoke of his experiences of founding a museum of African American which celebrates the rich history and cultural heritage of African Americans. With a budget of more than half a billion dollars, the museum is an exciting public-private venture whose home will be in "America's Back Yard" as Bunch calls The Mall in Washington D.C. The Director counts the likes of Oprah Winfrey as his allies who have committed themselves to help him carry out the century-old plan of creating a museum of African American History; a plan which had begun in 1913...!