Can see the forest AND the trees wrote:

Amtrak repaints several Genesis locomotives in heritage schemes and is running a 40th anniversary train around the country. The costs of the heritage/40th anniversary program are much higher than preparing and displaying a one-month exhibit pertaining to a major movement in African American History. Yet you object to this modest effort?

The 40th Anniversary Train is observing the 40 years that Amtrak has been in existence. It is appropriate that Amtrak tell that story. It's directly related to Amtrak. The African-American Migratory Exhibit refers to something that took place long before anyone ever dreamed of Amtrak. If anything, let Illinois Central / Canadian National or the Southern Christian Leadership Conference or the NAACP or BET or JET Magazine or Johnson Products or Harpo Productions or Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton tell the story.

Anyone who reads newspaper articles about Americans' understanding of US history and/or watches Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" knows that Americans know damn little about their own history. Thus any historic information in a place through which thousands of people pass daily can only be good.

Amtrak is forty years old. Their 40th Anniversary Train stays focused on what has happened at Amtrak from 1971 to date. Migratory paths of people that took place in the last century should be studied and promoted by educational institutions, historical societies, scholars, and social groups that have an interest in that subject matter.

Your silly remark about the Miami airport is indicative of an apparent unawareness that historical displays are common in many transportation terminals. There is a display of Greyound memorabilia in the Pittsburgh bus station (built with public funds), a display on the history of McCarren airport in Las Vegas, plaques with images of Boston area train depots in one of the rail stations and a plaque explaining the significance of a spur track for passenger cars at Amtrak's Santa Barbara depot. The money spent on preparing and installing these displays could have been used to replace a few light bulbs, but I've never read an objection to them.

I would venture to guess that, in every example you cited, the displays were put in place by historical societies, airport authorities, fan clubs or individuals that have an interest in those displays and the subject matter. NOT the airline or bus companies themselves. And probably not with taxpayer dollars.

So when there is an exhibit highlighting a chapter on African-American history you start this thread?

See above. This migratory path did not take place on Amtrak's watch. Let "ICRR" tell the story if it so desires.

Would you have objected to the Santa Fe incorporating Native American imagery into its passenger car interiors and marketing?

No, because no taxpayer funds would have been involved and ATSF, by operating through southwestern "First Nations" states had direct historical linkage to Native Americans. Amtrak has only been around since 1971. Any historical event that took place prior to 1971 should be told by the organization that was directly involved with that historical event prior to 1971. It's THEIR history to tell. Not Amtrak's.

Your pencil may be sharp, but your accountant's mind is seriously out of wack.

Your opinion. And opinions are like a certain body orifice. Eveybody's got one.