Black history is finally taking its rightful place within the Smithsonian Institution with the National Museum of African American History and Culture s grand opening on Saturday.

While the museum is now opening to considerable fanfare the ceremony includes a three-day festival and a dedication led by President Barack Obama to mark the historic occasion getting the project off the ground was anything but easy.

A group of black Civil War veterans first advocated for the idea of a national African-American history museum in the early 1900s. Decades later, a group of congressmen led by civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) took the fight for the museum to Capitol Hill. Lewis introduced legislation to fund the museum every year for 15 years , but it was defeated every time.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said the museum faced plenty of challenges, from overt bigotry to lack of prioritization.

In many ways, it itself is reminiscent or reflective of the African-American experience. Nothing has been easy. Everything has had to be earned, he said.