hello everyone I'm Crosby keer the director of The Institute of Museum and Library services and welcome to visions of America all stories all people all places you may have never heard of The Institute of Museum and Library services but we are the largest Federal cultural agency in the country we believe in the impact of libraries and museums to both preserve our cultural heritage and keep the history of every community in our country alive this episode we're in Miami Florida to explore the the building known as the Ellis Island of the South Freedom Tower on the campus of Miami Dade College so I think this whole idea of freedom is a very characteristic aspect of the Cuban Exile community in this episode we're in Seattle Washington to explore the wing Luke Museum of the asian-pacific American Experience here in the heart of the Chinatown International District Americans need to focus more on our unique history as a country and that's why institutions like wing Luke are so important in this episode we're in Kansas City Missouri's historic 18th andine neighborhood to visit not one but two museums that Chronicle this community's contributions to a pair of uniquely American pastimes the Negro Leagues baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum and so while America tried to prevent them from sharing in a joys of her so-called National Pastime it was the American Spirit that allowed them to persevere and [Music] prevail