Lonnie Bunch’s Resignation Is a Wake-Up Call
Trump was a necessary blunt instrument for the coordinated fascist assault on the United States, but a hammer no longer matters once a picture has been hung on the wall.
In 2003, Kevin D. Roberts defended his dissertation at the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on the evolution of Atlantic world identities among enslaved people from 1791-1831. His work, while not groundbreaking, demonstrated the methodical expansion of knowledge through cultural traditions, resistance, and a distinctive ideology of politics.
Roberts subsequently became a tenure-track professor at New Mexico State University, where he was well-liked. However, in 2021, he was appointed as the director of the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, responsible for Project 2025. This raises the question of whether Roberts used his knowledge of Black history to further oppress Black Americans and other marginalized groups under the current regime.
The news of Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III's planned retirement from the Smithsonian Institution coincides with his tenure being marked by relentless harassment from the Trump administration. Prior to his appointment in 2019, Bunch served in various roles, notably as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Hyperallergic Senior Editor Valentina Di Liscia and Staff Writer Anna Lee reported that Bunch had faced constant opposition from the Trump administration, seeking to whitewash American history and facilitate a radical cultural takeover. Bunch claimed that Trump's pressure did not influence his decision to step down.
Bunch's resignation, while not diminishing his admirable work, highlights the immense pressures that experts in African-American history may face due to ongoing attempts to manipulate and distort historical narratives.
Written by urgent.news from Hyperallergic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
