Smithsonian’s First Black Secretary to Retire Amid Battle Over How America’s History is Told – Free Press of Jacksonville

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the first African American to lead the Smithsonian Institution and founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will retire at the end of 2026 after nearly four decades of Smithsonian service.

Bunch’s departure follows a contentious year between the Smithsonian and the Trump administration over how the nation’s museums present American history. The White House has pushed for changes to exhibits and historical interpretation, arguing some Smithsonian presentations emphasize divisive or negative aspects of the nation’s past. Critics, including some historians and Democratic lawmakers, have argued the effort threatens the independence and completeness of historical storytelling.

The dispute has included scrutiny of the National Museum of African American History and Culture — the museum Bunch spent more than a decade building from the ground up before its 2016 opening. The museum has since welcomed more than 13 million visitors.

Bunch, who became Smithsonian secretary in 2019, did not characterize his retirement announcement as a resignation prompted by the administration. He said he leaves with “mixed emotions” and plans to continue championing the importance of preserving the nation’s complex history.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who serves as Smithsonian chancellor, praised Bunch for pursuing “excellence in the telling of our nation’s story.” The Smithsonian Board of Regents will name an acting secretary and begin a national search for Bunch’s successor.

Bunch is scheduled to appear Sept. 25 at the African American history museum as it celebrates its 10th anniversary — placing the historian who helped create the landmark institution back at its center as the national debate over who gets to tell America’s story — and how — continues.