There is established a commission to be known as the National Afro-American History and Culture Commission (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Commission”) which shall be composed of fifteen members, as specified in section 3702 of this title.

The Commission shall have the following duties:

The Commission shall be responsible for the development of a definitive plan for the construction and operation of the National Center for the Study of Afro-American History and Culture and shall submit the plan, together with any recommendations for additional legislation, to the President of the United States and the Congress not later than twenty-four months after October 10, 1980. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, identification of—

(A) the main objectives to be achieved by the establishment, development, and operation of the National Center for the Study of Afro-American History and Culture;

(B) the types of uses, both public and private, to be accommodated by such a center;

(C) the criteria and recommendations for the design and appearance of such a center;

(D) the proposed ownership and operation of the center;

(E) the criteria and recommendations for interpretive, cultural, and educational programs and uses of the center;

(F) the areas where cooperative agreements might be developed between the center and Afro-American institutions, organizations, and universities to enhance their programs and projects relating to the knowledge, preservation, and presentation of the history and culture of Afro-Americans;

(G) the estimates of costs, both public and private, for implementing the plan; and

(H) the procedures to be used in implementing the plan.

The Commission shall solicit subscriptions of funds from private and public sources to help meet the costs of carrying out its duties under this section; the costs of the construction, furnishing, and operation of the center; the costs of research programs and research staff positions, and reasonable administrative costs which may include, subject to the availability of funds, payment to members of the Commission of travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5. Any funds so received by the Commission shall be placed in a special deposit account with the Treasurer of the United States, and may be expended by the Commission only to meet the costs specified in this subparagraph.

(A) The Commission shall solicit subscriptions of funds from private and public sources to help meet the costs of carrying out its duties under this section; the costs of the construction, furnishing, and operation of the center; the costs of research programs and research staff positions, and reasonable administrative costs which may include, subject to the availability of funds, payment to members of the Commission of travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5. Any funds so received by the Commission shall be placed in a special deposit account with the Treasurer of the United States, and may be expended by the Commission only to meet the costs specified in this subparagraph.

(B) The General Services Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and other agencies of the Government may donate or loan to the Commission for the purposes of the center any works of art, artifacts, or other materials under their control.

For the purpose of carrying out this chapter, the Commission may—

(1) acquire by gift, purchase with appropriated or donated funds (including funds from State or local sources), transfer from any Federal or State agency, exchange, or otherwise, suitable land (together with any buildings or other improvements thereon) and interest in land in the vicinity of Wilberforce, Ohio, for the location of the headquarters of the center;

(2) borrow or acquire by gift, purchase with appropriated or donated funds (including funds from State or local sources), or otherwise, any other real or personal property necessary for the establishment and operation of the center; and

(3) sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of any property acquired under this subsection and designate any proceeds from such disposal for the benefit of the center.

(Pub. L. 96–430, title II, § 202, Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1846.)