The months have passed since Trump’s return to power and executive decrees follow one another, affecting federal institutions and leaving their fate uncertain. In federal museums, the effects are starting to be felt. In Washington DC, Kevin Young, director of the National Museum of History and African-American Culture, placed under the supervision of the Smithsonian, was put on leave on March 14 until an indefinite date. According to the Postthe announcement was only made internal. Shanita Brackett, Associate Director of Museum’s Operations, now provides temporary work.
Posting since 2021, Kevin Young, poet and essayist, taught at Emory University (Atlanta) before directing the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library.
The Smithsonian Institution is a network of 21 federal museums, mainly located in Washington DC, founded in 1846. The National Museum of African-American History and Culture, located on the National Mall, officially created in 2003, opened its doors in September 2016, during an inauguration chaired by Barack Obama.
It is the only national museum entirely devoted to the documentation of African-American life, history and culture. In its 37,000 m² building, more than 36,000 objects are on display, illustrating three main themes: slavery, segregation, culture and sport. Among them are in particular the lace collar of Harriet Tubman (1822-1913), an anti-slavery activist, and the Bible of Nat Turner (1800-1831), nicknamed “the Prophet against slavery”, to a t-shirt with “Black Lives Matter”, in reference to the protest movement against police violence against black. The museum has welcomed more than 10 million visitors since its opening.
The National Museum of African-American History and Culture and, more broadly, the Smithsonian have become targets within the framework of the Trump Administration Ideological Agenda, in particular on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In his executive decree of March 2025, Trump denounced what he considers as a “Titining ideology” within the federal museums, including those of the Smithsonian Institution. According to him, certain exhibitions and documents, such as the Talking About Race study published in 2020 by the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, which examines the white privilege, promote ideas which it deems anti-American. The decree aims to restore what Trump describes as “Excellence” Smithsonian, emphasizing patriotic accounts.
Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian, said in an email shared with the staff that the museum “Will remain committed to telling the different narrations of the history of this country, according to the Museums Association”.
