Key Facts

• Lonnie Bunch III is the first African American and first historian to lead the Smithsonian.
• The Department of the Interior sent a letter demanding action against what it called “radical institutional ideology” at the National Museum of American History.
• The Trump administration wants the Smithsonian to focus on patriotic education that praises the nation’s founders and creates a shared national identity.
• The Smithsonian’s historical exhibits include uncomfortable truths, such as the founders’ involvement in slavery and colonization.
• The administration’s call for “patriotic education” resembles authoritarian approaches that use history to promote national pride and unity.
• Critics say this approach limits a full and honest view of American history and undermines democracy’s value of political equality.
• The article compares the current push for patriotic education to past efforts by fascist regimes to control historical narratives.
• There is concern that government-supported institutions like the Smithsonian should safeguard democracy by presenting history honestly and fairly.