The National Museum of American History opened to the public in January 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology It was the sixth Smithsonian building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Since then, some 4 million visitors pass through the doors each year to enjoy the Museum’s exhibitions, public programs, educational activities, collections, and research facilities. Millions more make virtual visits to the Museum’s Web site.

Now hip-hop culture will be represented by the likes of hip-hop and rap artists Russell Simmons, Ice T, Crazy Legs, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Flash, MC Lyte, Reverend Run and Darryl McDaniel, and various Hip-Hop and rap artists and producers as they launch “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life.”

This will be the first ever hip-hop national collecting initiative by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The announcement and donation ceremony will feature some of the seminal pioneers of the hip-hop.

Feb. 28, 2006; at 11 a.m. at the Hilton New York, New York Suite, 4th floor on 1335 Avenue of the Americas in New York City During a special ceremony, pioneers from the hip-hop community will donate objects to the National Museum of American History’s collecting initiative, “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life.”

This multi-year project will trace hip-hop from its origins in the 1970s, as an expression of urban black youth culture, to its status today as a global phenomenon. Pulling together an unprecedented permanent collection, this project will pay respect to the undeniable reach of hip-hop and commemorate it as one of the most influential cultural explosions ever.

Through “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop,” the museum hopes to collect objects from all aspects of hip-hop arts and culture, including vinyl records, handwritten lyrics, boom boxes, clothing and costumes, videos and interviews, Disc Jockey equipment and microphones, personal and business correspondence, and posters and photos. The long-range vision for “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop” includes a comprehensive exhibition for millions of visitors.

Visit their web site at

http://americanhistory.si.edu/index.cfm

And while your there check out the ‘Lift Every Voice Tour’ and other events for Black History Month at

http://americanhistory.si.edu/events/search.cfm?month=Black%20History%20Month