By: Brett Zongker, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP).- A group that wants to build a National Museum of the American People in Washington to tell the history of immigration is calling on Congress to jump-start the effort.

The group is announcing Wednesday that it has support from 130 ethnic and minority organizations. It's asking Congress to support a bipartisan federal commission to study establishing such a museum.

Organizer Sam Eskenazi says the Smithsonian museums hold many cultural artifacts. But he says those museums don't tell the story of how immigration and migration formed the nation.

Eskenazi isn't deterred by Congress' focus on cutting spending. He says the museum could be built with private funds.

The New York-based group already is proposing five sites near the National Mall.



Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.