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[[preprinted]]
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives 
Washington, D.C. 20515
[[/preprinted]]

March 31, 1976

Dear Colleague: 

We are enclosing a letter to Chief Justice Warren Burger in his capacity as Chancellor of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. We hope you will consider joining us in signing this letter on behalf  of the Museum of Africa[['n' cut off at edge of page]] Art. A similar letter is being circulated in the Senate by Senator Humphrey. 

For several months, the Founder and Director of the Museum, Warren Robbins, former Foreign Service Public Affairs Officer, has been discussing with Smithsoni[['an' cut of at edge of page]] officials a proposed gift of the entire Museum complex, its valuable collections and its great potential, to the United States, to be operated as a division of the Smithsonian. 

Many Members of the House are already well acquainted with the Museum throug[['h' cut off at edge of page]] personal visits and attendance at numerous receptions and meeting which the Museum has hosted for visiting African Heads of State, Members of Congress and various public and private educational and cultural agencies.

In just twelve years, the Museum has gained international recognition not on[['ly' cut off at edge of page]] as an outstanding institution and the only one in the United States devoted exclusively to African art and culture, but for its extremely imaginative educational programs directed to both black and white school children and to the gener[['al' cut off at edge of page]] public. 

As members of the Museum's National Council, we urge you to join us in encouraging the Smithsonian Regents to accept the proposed gift to the nation th[['us' cut off at edge of page]] assuring the Museum's continued development and impact on American culture. The appropriation needed for basic operating costs would be only $500,000 annually si[['ace' cut off at edge of page]] the Museum's Board of Trustees would continue to raise supplementary funds. 

If you wish to endorse our letter to the Chief Justice, please call Pat Sim[[letter cut off at edge of page]] at 53915. We will circulate the letter to Chief Justice Burger for your signatur[['e.' cut off at edge of page]] 

Sincerely, 

[[signed]] John Brademas [[/signed]]
Member of Congress

[[signed]] John Conyers, Jr. [[/signed]]
Member of Congress

[[signed]] Frank Horton [[/signed]]
Member of Congress

Enclosures