Irony: the whitewashing of history

The American Museum Association’s guidelines specifically state, “There is a clear and formal division of responsibilities between the governing authority and any group that supports the museum, whether separately incorporated or operating within the museum or its parent organization.” Violation of this ‘hard wall of influence’ between funders and historians on the curatorial staff, such as manipulating messages for political ends, stands as grounds to lose accreditation.

That’s no small piece of paper. Without an AMA accreditation, museums cannot borrow collections, coordinate with other academic entities, or participate with other museums in any financial or curatorial fashion.

Donald Trump is on the verge of robbing the Smithsonian Institution, the sine qua non of museums worldwide, of its accreditation. In March, Trump signed an executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which accused the Smithsonian of coming under the influence of a “divisive, race-centered ideology” and called upon it to “remove improper ideology” from the institution’s museums.

In a letter sent on August 12 to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, the White House laid out in detail the steps it expects the organization to take as part of the announced review. The examination will look at all public-facing content, such as social media, exhibition text and educational materials, to “assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals,” according to the letter.

“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the letter said.

The Smithsonian said in a statement that it remained committed to “scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history.”

“We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents,” the museum leadership declared. That’s the most they can do without literally ceasing to be a museum, i.e. an independent institution of learning which would qualify for grants and support from other museum institutions.

The president has resolved not to stop his campaign of rewriting the history books, though. The effort is even affecting one of the Smithsonian’s sister institutions, the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

The Warehouse District complex has proudly been part of the Smithsonian Institution from just a few years after its opening in 2000. This relationship and certification has allowed incredible artifacts and resources to come to the Crescent City. Trump now states that those monies and support have an ideological price.

The cost appears – in at least one way – to erase the story of the Navajo Code Talkers. The internet is littered with various institutions being told the story of brave young men – whose native language kept communications in the Pacific secure from the Japanese – violated DEI standards. Hundreds of Navajo, who put their lives on the line for their country and served proudly (mostly the Marine Corps), now face the ignominy of erasure from the publicly displayed historical record.

And The Navajo are not alone.

Similar efforts to “purify” history have been threatened at the National African American Museum. The stories of racism being overcome by bravery, and soldiers serving on the frontlines of a country who often rejected them at home, have become inconvenient truths for the White House. The logical result of Trump‘s whitewashing of the historical record would erase the diversity which not only made America great, but also made America victorious.

In doing so, it will kill the reputation nationally – and internationally – of the nation’s foremost museum in the process. However, what does Donald Trump care about reputation – or truth?

This article originally published in the August 18, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.