Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III will retire as Smithsonian secretary, reportedly due to persistent political harassment.
Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, the distinguished secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, is slated to retire by the end of the year. His decision reportedly follows relentless harassment from the Trump administration, a period marked by significant clashes over historical revisionism. Bunch, who previously founded the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has been a steadfast advocate for scholarly integrity.
Prior to his appointment as secretary in 2019, Bunch held various roles within the Smithsonian, most notably as the founding director of the acclaimed National Museum of African American History and Culture. In this capacity, he consistently stood against efforts to whitewash American history, championing a nuanced and critically informed public understanding of the past.
This situation draws a stark contrast with figures like Kevin D. Roberts, a researcher who studied Black history and later became director of the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. Roberts's academic work explored how enslaved people resisted bondage, yet his current role involves enacting policies that critics describe as a cultural takeover.
Roberts's 2003 dissertation, "Slaves and slavery in Louisiana," detailed resistance through cultural traditions and "politics from the ground up." His shift from academia to leading a think tank responsible for Project 2025 has surprised former colleagues, prompting cynical conclusions about the application of historical knowledge.
Unlike Roberts, Bunch has consistently utilized his expertise in African-American history to present the public with rigorously researched and up-to-date information. While his resignation does not diminish his admirable work, it highlights the immense pressures faced by cultural leaders committed to historical accuracy in a politically charged environment.
