After
President Trump’s executive
order on
March 31, 2025, which named two Smithsonian
museums, one completed (devoted to the African
American experience) and one underway
(dedicated to women), for “improper
ideology”, Secretary Bunch sent the following
message to
Smithsonian staff.
Dear
colleagues,
As
an Institution, our commitment to scholarship
and research is unwavering and will always serve
as the guiding light for our content. Late
yesterday, the White House issued a presidential
Executive Order (EO) related to cultural
institutions including the Smithsonian. The EO
directs Vice President Vance, in his role as an
ex-officio Smithsonian Regent, to work with our
Board of Regents on issues related to content.
We
remain steadfast in our mission to bring
history, science, education, research, and the
arts to all Americans. We will continue to
showcase world-class exhibits, collections, and
objects, rooted in expertise and accuracy. We
will continue to employ our internal review
processes which keep us accountable to the
public. When we err, we adjust, pivot, and learn
as needed. As always, our work will be shaped by
the best scholarship, free of partisanship, to
help the American public better understand our
nation’s history, challenges, and triumphs.
As
we have done throughout our history, the
Smithsonian will work with the Board of Regents,
including the Chief Justice, Vice President, and
our congressional and citizen Regents. The
Smithsonian is fortunate to have a dedicated
board that understands and appreciates the
Institution's mission, as well as the importance
of scholarship, expertise, and service to the
American public.
For
more than 175 years, the Smithsonian has been an
educational institution devoted to continuous
learning with the public in mind and driven by
our most important mission – the increase and
diffusion of knowledge. We remain committed to
telling the multi-faceted stories of this
country’s extraordinary heritage. Thank you for
all you do to carry our mission forward. I
remain honored to be your colleague and in awe
of your daily service to our nation.
Sincerely,
Lonnie
G. Bunch III | Secretary
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