"If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein,' as our prosecutor at the Nuremberg war crimes trials, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Houghwot Jackson, wrote for the Supreme Court in West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943).
Is DJT an uneducated rebarbative reprrobate, a disgrace to the human race. We reject his works and pomps.
Hands off our democratic institutions, including universities, libraries, including our beloved Smithsonian.
White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions
The Trump administration is giving museums 120 days to replace “divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
The Trump administration is giving museums 120 days to replace “divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it would begin a wide-ranging review of current and planned exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, scouring wall text, websites and social media “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.”
White House officials announced the review in a letter sent to Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian. Museums will be required to adjust any content that the administration finds problematic within 120 days, the letter said, “replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
The review, which will begin with eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, is the latest attempt by President Trump to try to impose his will on the Smithsonian, which has traditionally operated as an independent institution that regards itself outside the purview of the executive branch.
Kim Sajet, the head of the National Portrait Gallery, resigned in June after Mr. Trump said he was firing her for being partisan. The Smithsonian’s governing board said at the time that it had sole responsibility for personnel decisions.
In its letter, the White House says its review “aims to ensure alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” It adds that the “goal is not to interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff, but rather to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage.”
News of the letter was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal. It is signed by Lindsey Halligan, a special assistant to the president; Vince Haley, the director of the Domestic Policy Council; and Russell T. Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
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In a statement, the Smithsonian said that its “work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history.”
“We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind,” it continued, “and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress and our governing Board of Regents.”
Mr. Bunch did not immediately returned a call seeking comment.
Some historians expressed concern at the political interference in an institution that was long viewed as independent. Annette Gordon-Reed, a professor at Harvard and president of the Organization of American Historians, said the Smithsonian was already doing a “fantastic job of presenting American history.”
“People are voting with their feet,” she said. “It’s a very popular place. The content of exhibits shouldn’t simply reflect any one administration’s preferences. They are the product of a lot of hard work by dedicated and honorable people who want to present the most accurate picture of American history as possible. That includes the triumphs and the tragedies.”
Samuel J. Redman, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has written extensively about the Smithsonian, called the administration’s review “a full assault on the autonomy of all the different branches of the institution.”
Mr. Trump’s focus on the Smithsonian began in March, when he issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” In it, he claimed that the Smithsonian had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” and that it promoted “narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.” Last month, bills were introduced in the House and Senate that would codify the executive order into law.
Initially, the White House’s review will focus on eight Smithsonian museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Other museums would be reviewed in a later phase, it said.
The White House’s letter says that within 30 days, the museums must provide materials including catalogs and programs for all current exhibitions, digital files of all placards and gallery labels and proposals for exhibitions over the next three years. During that time period, the administration’s team will also begin observational visits and conduct walk-throughs of current exhibitions.
Within 75 days, the museums are required to provide an inventory of their permanent collections, a list of external partnerships and the results of surveys with visitors.
The scrutiny includes programming around the country’s 250th anniversary next year. The semiquincentennial has long been of particular interest to Mr. Trump, who since returning to office has moved to put his personal stamp on the commemoration. In January, he issued an executive order, “Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday,” that called for a “grand celebration” and established a related task force that is housed in the Defense Department and overseen by Mr. Haley.
Mr. Trump has also moved to revive his planned National Garden of American Heroes, a patriotic sculpture garden he proposed during his first term.
In June, the president ordered a full review of signage and other material at the National Park Service, requiring all material that is deemed “inappropriate” to be removed or covered by Sept. 17. It is unclear, however, whether the White House has the legal power to enforce a similar mandate at the Smithsonian.
Mr. Trump does not directly control the Smithsonian, which is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Democrats and Republicans and is overseen by Congress. But the Smithsonian is facing pressure to give ground, particularly since 62 percent of its more than $1 billion annual budget comes from congressional appropriation, federal grants and government contracts.
The Smithsonian closed its diversity office shortly after the president signed an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs at organizations receiving federal money. Last month, the artist Amy Sherald pulled her upcoming show from the National Portrait Gallery, saying that the museum was concerned about her painting that depicts a transgender Statue of Liberty.
An earlier confrontation with the administration was avoided when the Smithsonian issued a statement that embraced its independent authority but acknowledged the institution’s need to be nonpartisan in its depiction of American history and life. Some in the Smithsonian leadership thought the measures might curb the White House but they appear to have misjudged its commitment to addressing what it views as deficiencies.
The White House said its review would involve collaboration among museum staff, administration officials and personnel from other agencies. “By focusing on Americanism — the people, principles, and progress that define our nation — we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution,” it said.
Graham Bowley is an investigative reporter covering the world of culture for The Times.
Jennifer Schuessler is a reporter for the Culture section of The Times who covers intellectual life and the world of ideas.
Robin Pogrebin, who has been a reporter for The Times for 30 years, covers arts and culture.
1 comment:
Back to the Future Orange Biff Tanen at it again with more cheese ball stunts that won't mean anything after 2028. God forbid this make it "trickle down" already. Looks like they intend to transfer wealth upwards for the rest of American history and make laws which ensure that the people who hit rock bottom will be imprisoned.
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