Lonnie Bunch on Building the African American History Museum & Navigating Political Pressures

Founding the National Museum of African American History and Culture

• 💡 Lonnie Bunch III, the first African American head of the Smithsonian and its first historian leader, reflects on his journey, drawing inspiration from Frederick Douglass's denied opportunity to speak at the Smithsonian.
• 🎯 A significant battle was securing the museum's location on the National Mall, with Bunch threatening to resign if it was placed in an undesirable, out-of-the-way spot.
• 🗺️ The museum's location was strategically chosen for its prominence on the Mall, symbolizing the inclusion of the African American story in the broader narrative of American history.

Collecting and Preserving African American History

• ⚓ To address the challenge of starting with no collections, Bunch was inspired by "Antique Roadshow" to create "Saving African-American Treasures," a program that encouraged people to share family heirlooms.
• 🚢 A profound moment involved the discovery of the slave ship San Jose, which sank in 1794, and Bunch's effort to return soil from the wreck site to the Makua people in Mozambique.
• 📸 The museum's collection grew significantly through community generosity, with 70% of the 40,000 artifacts coming from people's homes, making it a community-owned institution.
• 🖼️ A pivotal acquisition involved photographs from Harriet Tubman's funeral and a hymnal, secured through the remarkable generosity of collector Charles Bloxson.

Navigating Political Tensions and Museum Impact

• 🏛️ President Trump visited the museum shortly after its dedication, and while initially engaging with the exhibit on the Dutch slave trade, his comments later focused on minimizing the horrors of slavery.
• 📈 The museum became a pilgrimage site, a place of resistance, and a space for engaging new generations, particularly during the Trump administration, which Bunch notes gave voice to dormant hatred.
• ✊ The museum faced threats, being considered at high risk for domestic terrorism, highlighted by an incident where a noose was found, but this also galvanized support from other Smithsonian institutions.
• 🌍 Bunch emphasizes the museum's role in helping people understand that history is deeper, richer, and more profound than they might initially perceive, regardless of their political leanings.
• 🗣️ The museum's ultimate goal is to inspire new generations of activists by showcasing the history of struggle and the power of collective action to change the country.