By April Ryan
Today is an all-day board meeting for the Smithsonian Regents. Advocates and lawyers are advocating for this quarterly meeting to save over a million artifacts and specimens, particularly at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A group forming a broad-based coalition called America’s History SOS is presenting over 70,000 signatures to members of Congress who serve on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, to save artifacts at what is affectionately called the Blacksonian (NMAAHC), which opened in September 2016.
America’s History SOS says We Demand:
– That the NMAAHC and the Smithsonian remain free from political interference.
– That Congress and the Smithsonian Board of Regents act to protect the Museum’s independence.
– That President Trump immediately rescind Executive Order 14253. Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History – The White House
– That all efforts to censor or sanitize African American history be met with unified, unflinching resistance.
Questions circulate as to why there has been no legislation this year to preserve the history at the museum. A person familiar with the Congressional Black Caucus emphasized “that the caucus is ready, willing, and able to help.” However, the CBC has received “cautionary direction from the Museum hierarchy about how to support.” Even before the government shutdown, a general sense of fear had already been prevalent among Smithsonian Museum workers. A source, who wishes to remain anonymous at the Smithsonian, has warned that emails are now being monitored. The question is, why and by whom?
However, in March of this year, Congresswoman Nikema Williams led the Call for Protection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Also, a letter in May, led by Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley, announced the Democrats’ probe into Trump’s Executive Order on Museums, asking the Smithsonian Inspector General to investigate the EO’s implementation. The CBC source also states that this year, Black federal lawmakers have “not had any official conversation with the Secretary of the Smithsonian, Lonnie Bunch.”
As far as today’s meeting, the regents include Chief Justice John Roberts. The Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents will preside over a meeting. Vice President J.D. Vance is also an ex officio member of the Board of Regents. The meeting is typically public, unless the Regents enter into an executive session, in which case the meeting will then go into a secret session. Concerns have arisen regarding the anticipated intense scrutiny of Secretary Bunch’s job performance since Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2025. The Trump administration’s request for the itemization of all the specimens and artifacts has been one of several sticking points. The president’s Executive Order specified a specific time period for compliance.
