Civil Rights Leaders & Critics Question Removal Of Artifacts From African American Museum

Rev. Robert Turner, senior pastor of Empowerment Temple AME Church, recently completed a 43-mile walk from Baltimore to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C., as a protest against what he views as attempts to erase Black history. Turner, who has made the journey over 30 times, emphasized the importance of preserving the museum, which he and others call the “Blacksonian.” He explained, “If you don’t know the horrors that we went through, the hell, then you might not see the need for repairing.”

The protest comes amid controversy over artifact rotations at the museum. In late March, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the removal of exhibits that “divide Americans based on race.” While the White House denies involvement, at least 32 artifacts, including Harriet Tubman’s hymn book, a cloth made by enslaved people, and the memoir of Frederick Douglass, have been removed. Museum officials insist these changes are part of routine exhibit rotations, stating, “claims that objects have been removed for reasons other than adherence to standard loan agreements or museum practices are false.”

Some donors remain skeptical. Liz Brazelton, who lent a diary connected to Solomon Northup, author of 12 Years a Slave, said she received notice of its return just weeks before Trump’s executive order. “When I saw the executive order, I wondered if they maybe knew something was going to happen,” she said. Similarly, Rev. Amos C. Brown, who lent his father’s Bible, expressed his frustration, calling the museum’s response “very much inhumane, disrespectful and downright unjust.”

As Democrats in Congress push back, urging museum leaders not to compromise on Black history, Turner vows to continue his monthly walks. “Our story cannot die, no matter who’s in the White House,” he said, reaffirming his commitment to preserving Black history and demanding reparations.

Link: NBCNews