Trump Criticized for Targeting Black History Smithsonian/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump’s executive order criticizing the Smithsonian’s portrayal of U.S. history has sparked backlash from historians, civil rights advocates, and lawmakers. Critics argue the order, which targets the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is an attempt to downplay racism’s role in America’s past.
Trump Order Targeting African American Museum Sparks Accusations of Whitewashing History
ATLANTA — President Donald Trump is facing intense criticism from civil rights leaders, historians, and Black political leaders following his executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution — particularly the National Museum of African American History and Culture — for what he called a “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
The Thursday directive, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” accuses the Smithsonian of promoting a narrative that portrays the United States as “inherently racist” and “irredeemably flawed.” The order singles out the African American museum and calls for a government-wide review of exhibits and educational programming.
It tasks Vice President JD Vance with identifying and eliminating content that “degrades shared American values” and “divides Americans based on race.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is also ordered to review any monuments removed or altered since 2020 for allegedly promoting “false reconstructions of American history.”
Historians and civil rights leaders denounced the move as an attempt to erase the painful realities of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism from the national narrative.
“We’re watching an effort to deny that slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence even happened,” said Clarissa Myrick-Harris, a historian at Morehouse College. “It’s dangerous revisionism.”
Notably absent from Trump’s order is any acknowledgment of how slavery was embedded into the U.S. Constitution, including the Three-Fifths Compromise that counted enslaved persons as less than full citizens for the purpose of political representation.
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, historian and bestselling author, called the move “a literal attack on Black America itself,” defending the National Museum of African American History and Culture — often referred to as the “Black Smithsonian” — as central to preserving the nation’s full historical truth.
“This museum is one of the heartbeats of Black America and the country itself,” Kendi said.
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued a strong statement defending the institution:
“We do not erase our history simply because we find it uncomfortable. We embrace it — the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Trump’s recent criticisms stand in stark contrast to his 2017 visit to the museum, where he praised its exhibits and significance. Touring the facility with Sen. Tim Scott and then-HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Trump called it “a great museum” and said he was “deeply proud” of its role in honoring Black Americans.
That sentiment is absent in the new directive, which characterizes the museum’s portrayal of history as divisive and harmful to national unity.
Since returning to office, Trump has made combatting what he calls “woke” culture a central theme of his administration. He has:
These moves have drawn concern from educators and museum curators who fear federal support for institutions exploring Black history may vanish.
Kendi warned of the chilling effect on educational spaces and cultural institutions already underfunded.
“Starving these institutions of support ensures that only propaganda survives. That’s the plan,” he said.
Former NAACP President Ben Jealous echoed this, defending the existence of dedicated cultural museums as necessary correctives to generations of exclusion.
“For too long, general histories have omitted or distorted the stories of Black Americans,” Jealous said. “These museums exist so we can finally tell the full story.”
The African American museum, which opened in 2016 during Barack Obama’s presidency, has since become a widely visited and highly respected institution on the National Mall. It documents slavery, segregation, resistance, cultural achievement, and the enduring contributions of Black Americans.
Analysts say the Trump administration’s latest move is part of a coordinated attempt to reshape how American history is taught and remembered — aligning narratives with nationalist themes and downplaying systemic injustice.
Public monuments, textbooks, public broadcasting, and federally funded research have all come under scrutiny from the administration, with critics warning of escalating censorship.
“What’s next?” asked Myrick-Harris. “Will the government now decide what facts are acceptable in classrooms and museums?”
As the debate over American identity and historical truth deepens, Trump’s latest action has ignited a renewed push among historians, educators, and activists to defend fact-based, inclusive storytelling.
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