Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement today on the retirement of Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, crediting the Smithsonian Secretary with turning a century-old dream into reality.
"For roughly 100 years, there were efforts to create a national museum dedicated to African American history and culture. It took persistent advocacy, vision, and determination before Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III successfully turned that dream into a reality," Bass said.
Bass noted that Congressman John Lewis led the effort in Congress to win approval and funding for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and that Bunch was selected to accomplish what so many before him attempted. She said the museum has preserved crucial truths, filled gaps left by mainstream institutions, and shown that Black history is an essential part of the fabric of America.
In 2019, Bunch became the first African American and first historian to serve as Secretary of the Smithsonian. Bass said his leadership shaped how generations of Americans understand the nation's history and culture, and that he led the effort to fight attempts to erase African American history.
"The extraordinary pressure placed on Dr. Bunch and the Smithsonian in recent years is deeply troubling," Bass said, citing what she described as unprecedented limits placed on the institution by the Trump administration through challenges to how American history is presented and rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Bass said it was phenomenal to watch Bunch withstand these attacks while leading the Smithsonian with dignity and purpose. "Dr. Bunch's legacy should remind us that history is not something to be feared. It is something to be understood, protected, and passed on," she said.