Financial Institutions Alleging Unfair Seizures of Artifacts by Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
Two exhibits at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) were withdrawn ahead of schedule, sparking concerns among the lenders involved that the Trump administration's criticism of the Smithsonian Institution may have influenced the museum's decision.
According to a report published by NBC News over the weekend, at least 32 objects have been removed from the NMAAHC's galleries, one of the institutions targeted by Trump via an executive order in recent months concerning "anti-American content" in the Smithsonian's museums. The specific reasons behind the reported removals remain unclear, with the museum neither confirming whether they were switched out as a standard refresh of exhibits or to address concerns related to the executive order.
Amos C. Brown, a civil rights activist and minister, had loaned the NMAAHC a book on Black history written in 1880 and his father's Bible, which Martin Luther King Jr. carried during protests. The museum initially stated in April that removing these books was standard museum practice due to the loan expiration in May. However, Brown expressed discontent over the removal, describing it as inhumane, disrespectful, and unjust.
Liz Brazelton, another lender, had donated her great-great-grandfather's diary, whose legal work aided Solomon Northup, a free Black man who had been kidnapped and enslaved. The diary was reportedly returned to Brazelton in March, prior to the end of a 10-year loan agreement scheduled for September. The museum attributed its decision to its internal gallery rotation schedule. Brazelton speculated that the museum may have prematurely rotated out her great-great-grandfather's diary because of its focus on slavery, as the exhibit was a target of Trump's executive order.
In response to the removal of objects, the Smithsonian issued a statement, claiming that suggestions that it had deliberately removed these items are false. Nevertheless, there have been concerns about the museum's independence in the face of political pressure from the Trump administration, particularly since April when Kevin Young, the institution's director, went on personal leave, preceding Trump's executive order on the Smithsonian. The timing of these events has raised suspicions among critics.
- Concerns about the National Museum of African American History and Culture's (NMAAHC) independence arises as critics question whether policy-and-legislation or war-and-conflicts-related pressures from the Trump administration may have influenced the museum's decision to withdraw exhibits.
- The controversy surrounding the removal of objects from NMAAHC galleries extends beyond arts and general-news, extending into crime-and-justice, as lenders express discontent over the treatment of artifacts carrying historical significance.
- Given the sensitive nature of the withdrawn exhibits and their potential association with slavery, the removal could be seen as a reflection of the politics surrounding the broader policy-and-legislation topic of handling sensitive historical subjects in museums.
- As more objects are moved, some speculate that the museum's car-accidents-ridden and fires-stricken policy for managing loaned artifacts may need an overhaul, considering the emotional impact and historical importance of these objects.
- Sports-betting might be the least of Smithsonian's concerns as allegations of ideological interference from the Trump administration continue to mount following the controversial removal of items.
- Amidst the growing list of removed exhibits, the absence of sports-related artifacts remains fortunately untouched, proving perhaps that the museum's commitment to preserving history outweighs political pressures, at least in the sports sector for now.
