Black Historian Steps Aside At Smithsonian Amid Aggressive Push for Revisionism
(TSN): Lonnie Bunch, III the first African American and first historian to lead the Smithsonian Institute is leaving the post at the end of the year. He says it is not due to the pressure from the Trump Administration to be less negative about U.S. History; but he told the New York Times the job has been stressful. When the administration insisted that museum present more patriotic history, he resisted to tell the whole story. Smithsonians have been under scrutiny from the White House since Trump returned to office for his second term. The administration has engaged in historic revisionism to re-tell the American story in connection with America at 250 efforts. Critics say they are trying to sanitize the tainted aspects of history. This has involved the removal of exhibits, statues and various topics, like slavery.
Bunch, 73 is the third African American leader of a prestigious American institution to leave a post following opposition from conservatives. Claudine Gray, the first Black President of Harvard resigned after pressure from Republicans in 2023. Carla Hayden who was the lead at the Library of Congress was terminated for alleged DEI practices.
But, the White House did not act alone. Various organizations like the Heritage Foundation are acting like political factions to manifest an overarching agenda. The agenda appears to be to hide the country's flaws.
The Heritage Foundation in particular is claiming it helped produce the outcome. The sent our a fundraising email after the retirement announcement indicating they were aligned with the changes to leadership.
Bunch served 40 years at the Smithsonian. Mr. Bunch is also the founder of the Smithsonian African American Museum of history and Culture. The Board of Regents is responsible for appointing a new leader.
