Protect Museums from Political Censorship

I am writing to express my deep alarm at the recent executive order heavily influenced by Project 2025, which targets the Smithsonian Institution and other cultural centers. Allowing federal officials to reshape museum content based on ideology is a dangerous step backward. History offers clear warnings. In Nazi Germany, modern and Jewish art was purged to promote a racialized vision of the past. In the Soviet Union, museums became tools of state propaganda, erasing religious and dissenting voices. During China’s Cultural Revolution, institutions were shuttered and artifacts destroyed. In Turkey, Hungary, and Poland, governments have manipulated exhibitions to promote nationalism while whitewashing uncomfortable truths. Are we now walking that same path? On March 27, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order targeting several Smithsonian entities for promoting what he termed “improper ideology” and “divisive narratives.” The institutions cited include: • National Museum of African American History and Culture – singled out for allegedly presenting a distorted view of American history. • Women’s History Museum (in development) – criticized in advance for planned exhibits the administration deems inappropriate. • Smithsonian American Art Museum – accused of featuring divisive content. The order also extends to the Smithsonian’s education and research centers, and even the National Zoo, with Vice President JD Vance tasked with removing the so-called ideologies across these institutions. These actions threaten the autonomy, integrity, and educational missions of our most cherished cultural spaces. Museums must remain independent, evidence-based, and inclusive. They are not vehicles for political messaging. Government censorship—especially targeting themes like racial injustice or gender—betrays the core purpose of public education. I urge you to reject any attempt to politicize our cultural institutions. Protect the truth. Protect history. Stop whitewashing the past.