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NBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
White House reviewing Smithsonian exhibits to make sure they align with Trump's vision
The White House is conducting an expansive review of the Smithsonian's museum exhibitions, materials and operations ahead of America's 250th anniversary to ensure it aligns with President Donald Trump's views of history, an administration official confirmed to NBC News. The assessment, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, will include reviews of museum exhibitions, online content, internal curatorial processes, exhibition planning, the use of collections and artist grants, and wording related to museum exhibit messaging, the official said. The Smithsonian Institution includes 21 museums, 14 education and research centers and the National Zoo. The news of the review was outlined in a letter dated Tuesday and sent to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. White House senior associate Lindsey Halligan, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley and White House Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought signed the letter. 'This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,' the administration official quoted the letter as saying. The official said the review is aimed at making sure the museums reflect the 'unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story' and reflect the president's executive order calling for 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.' That order, which was signed on March 27, calls for removing "improper ideology" from the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo. 'This is about preserving trust in one of our most cherished institutions," Halligan said in a statement. "The Smithsonian museums and exhibits should be accurate, patriotic, and enlightening—ensuring they remain places of learning, wonder, and national pride for generations to come.' The impeachment exhibition at The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, on Aug. 1. Andrew Leyden / ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters NBC News reported in May that historical leaders and critics were questioning why exhibits at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall were rotating out. NBC News found at least 32 artifacts that were once on display had been removed. Among those items were Harriet Tubman's book of hymns filled with gospels that she is believed to have sung as she led enslaved people to freedom through the underground railroad, and the 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,' the memoir by one of the most important leaders in the abolition movement. The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History also recently made headlines after it removed a placard referring to Trump from an impeachment exhibit, sparking concerns over his influence on the cultural institution. Mention of his two impeachments was later restored to the exhibit after criticism of the removal. In a statement, the Smithsonian said that the exhibit was temporarily removed because it"did not meet the museum's standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation. 'It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case. For these reasons, we removed the placard," the statement added. Trump's executive order called for changes at the museum system, charging that the 'Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology. This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.' '[W]e will restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness –- igniting the imagination of young minds, honoring the richness of American history and innovation, and instilling pride in the hearts of all Americans,' the order said. Trump has also gotten more involved at another federally controlled D.C. institution, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has named himself the Kennedy Center chairman and fired the previous bipartisan board of trustees after vowing there would be no "anti-American propaganda" at the venue. 'We don't need woke at the Kennedy Center,' he said in February. House Republicans have moved to rename the center the 'Donald J. Trump Center for Performing Arts,' but the law creating the center prohibits any of the facilities from being renamed. Trump seemed to acknowledge the House effort in a post on Truth Social Tuesday. "GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS. They will be announced Wednesday," he wrote.
Black America Web
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Concerns Grow Over Removed Exhibits At NMAAHC AKA ‘The Blacksonian'
Source: Andrew Lichtenstein / Getty Amidst President Trump's flurry of executive orders targeting civil rights and Black history, concerns are growing over exhibits being rotated out at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). According to NBC News, certain artifacts and exhibits detailing the history of slavery and the civil rights movement are being rotated out of NMAAHC amid a potential review by the White House. In March, President Trump signed the 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' executive order that, among many other things, requires museums to remove exhibits that showcase 'improper ideology.' Of course, 'improper ideology' is simply code for 'any piece of American history that makes white people feel uncomfortable and/or reminds them of the horrors this country was built on.' But I get it, 'improper ideology' is less of a mouthful. From NBC News: NBC News went inside the museum and found at least 32 artifacts that were once on display have been removed. They include Harriet Tubman's book of hymns filled with gospels that she is believed to have sung as she led enslaved people to freedom through the underground railroad, as well as a cloth made by enslaved people and a photo of the hip-hop group Public Enemy. Also removed was the 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,' the memoir by one of the most important leaders in the abolition movement. Both items were gifted to the Smithsonian. Both the White House and NMAAHC have pushed back against the idea that these removals were a result of the executive order. White House spokesperson Lindsey Halligan issued a statement saying, 'The White House had no involvement in removing any exhibit from the National Museum of African American History and Culture or any other Smithsonian institution. They did this on their own accord.' Additionally, the NMAAHC has also issued a statement on their website saying that 'recent claims that objects have been removed for reasons other than adherence to standard loan agreements or museum practices are false.' Source: The Washington Post / Getty I'd love to sit here and say, 'Well, that's that. This is a completely innocent, not at all suspect move by the museum.' Though when one considers that the former director of the NMAAHC left as a result of the Executive Order, and that both Chief Justice John Roberts and Vice President J.D Vance sit on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, it doesn't entirely pass muster. Those who loaned the items to the NMAAHC also aren't entirely convinced that their return wasn't politically motivated. From NBC News: Liz Brazelton, the owner of a diary connected to the Oscar-winning film '12 Years a Slave,' isn't convinced either. She's the great-great-granddaughter of the lawyer who helped free Solomon Northup, a free Black man who was kidnapped and forced into slavery… …she gave one of her great-great-grandfather's diaries to the museum in September 2015 on a 10-year loan. The museum sent her a letter in March, before the end of the term, saying, 'We have decided to move ahead with the return a bit early to coincide with our internal gallery rotation schedule.' The letter was sent two weeks before Trump signed the executive order targeting exhibits at the Smithsonian, which raised a red flag for Brazelton. The removal of these items from the NMAAHC comes as the Trump administration has repeatedly made attacks on free speech, DEI initiatives, and Black History. In April, the National Park Service came under scrutiny after it removed the story of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad from several exhibits. They eventually restored the exhibits after national outcry, but the fact that they even had the audacity to try it should tell you everything about where this administration's priorities lie. As a result of the executive order and leadership changes at the NMAAHC, the museum was the site of the #HandsOffOurHistory rally earlier this month. The executive order, along with other moves by the Trump Administration, also spurred legislation from Democratic lawmakers to protect civil rights landmarks on the national register from being sold (because, of course, the Trump administration tried to do that). While it's clear the Trump administration won't stop coming for our history, the grassroots efforts by community leaders and select politicians have proven that they'll damn sure have to fight for it. SEE ALSO: Racial Bias: Audit Finds 36 In-Custody Deaths Should Be Labeled Homicides This Was Supposed To Be A Review Of 'Forever,' But It's Not SEE ALSO Concerns Grow Over Removed Exhibits At NMAAHC AKA 'The Blacksonian' was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
