Smithsonian History Museum Chief Rejects White House Criticism Of Its Leaders As Radical Activists

WASHINGTON — The head of nan Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History pushed backmost connected Tuesday against a caller White House study that branded nan institution’s activity arsenic extremist activists who cannot beryllium trusted.

“As we proceed to truth cheque nan report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not reasonably aliases accurately qualify nan afloat assemblage of activity astatine nan museum,” head Anthea M. Hartig told a House Oversight subcommittee. “There is ever room for improvement. But I besides cognize nan beauty and nan inspiration and nan expertise that lies successful our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.”

Coinciding pinch nan 250th day of American independence, nan White House Domestic Policy Council released a study connected July Fourth arguing that nan museum, a centerpiece of nan sprawling Smithsonian analyzable connected nan National Mall, doesn’t show history “in a measurement that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our awesome republic.”

The study reflects a broader effort by President Trump and his supporters to usage nan powerfulness of nan national authorities to reshape nan measurement nan nation’s history is told, often de-emphasizing nan domiciled of slavery and racism on pinch stories astir LGBTQ and different marginalized communities.

Republicans connected nan sheet reiterated immoderate of those concerns connected Tuesday.

“In nan museum’s existent telling, history is conscionable an ongoing powerfulness struggle betwixt oppressors and nan oppressed,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) “The study makes clear that nan museum’s woke exhibits and materials bespeak a broader imagination held by nan depository leadership.”

Hartig, nan first female to service arsenic head of nan National Museum of American History, said nan institution “does not return sides successful America’s governmental debates.” She described nan museum’s position of nan nation’s communicative arsenic an improvement intended to adhd voices, not erase history arsenic detractors sometimes argue.

“When historians talk astir reframing a accepted narrative, we don’t mean erasing it,” she said. “We mean adding nan evidence, nan voices, nan objects, that earlier tellings near out, truthful that much Americans tin spot themselves reflected successful nan nationalist story.”

Sloan writes for nan Associated Press.